New Crack Addiction Treatment Focus in Rio de Janeiro
“Cracolandias,” or crack lands, are the communities in Rio de Janeiro that house drug addicts of all ages. Though drugs of all kinds are commonly abused in these neighborhoods, crack is one of the primary drugs of addiction. How are officials trying to stem the problem? With “collection” operations, according to the LA Times. These operations are raids performed by social workers and law enforcement and usually result in mandatory treatment for those they pick up, hundreds of whom are children – almost all of whom go against their will.
More than 1000 people have been picked up in these raids since they started in May of this year, and each one has been confined in treatment as a result. It’s an experimental program implemented only in Rio de Janeiro but watched closely by the rest of the country. If it works, it may become a widespread practice throughout Brazil to combat the rampant drug addiction and high rates of child homelessness in the country.
Some are big proponents of the program, saying that it’s far better for kids who are homeless and addicted to drugs to get the treatment they need to heal than to continue living on the street. Others, however, say that it’s unconstitutional to take people and force them into confinement against their will or the will of their families. They also say that the cleanup plan is not so much a good will effort to help those who are living with drug addiction but a less noble effort to clean up the city in time to play host to the World Cup soccer tournament and Olympic Games.
There are a number of voluntary drug rehab programs available in Rio de Janeiro and throughout the country that provide addiction treatment services to adults and teens who are ready to stop abusing drugs. The difference in the new program when compared to the old is the forced internment during that treatment. The justification is that minors who are addicted to crack cocaine don’t have the mental capabilities to make an informed choice when it comes to accepting or denying treatment.
Rodrigo Bethlem is the secretary for social services for Rio de Janeiro and oversees the program. He says: “What was being done before just wasn’t working. I believe very strongly in the legality and the importance of this work. At times like this, I think what I would want done if it were my child. We can’t think of doing it another way.”
What do you think? Is forced internment during addiction treatment appropriate for minor children who are homeless and living with crack addiction? What if their parents disagree? Leave a comment and let us know your opinion.
