What is sometimes referred to as the British "system" of drug control isnot really a system; rather, it is a setof principles and programs that represent one form of societal response to HEROIN use and OPIATE DEPENDENCE. The principles encompass the idea that government ought to offer public-health and medical programs that will help contain Britain's heroin problem, in addition to its response in the form of law enforcement. In BRITAIN, the concept of punishing heroin-dependent individuals for dependence as such is as alien as punishing people for becoming infected with syphilis or needing insulin for diabetes.

A key element in this system is allowing medical practitioners to provide maintenance doses of OPIATES or opioid drugs (sometimes including heroin as well as METHADONE and other opioids) when a diagnosis of heroin dependence can be substantiated. The initial programmatic efforts allowed for the...