It involves giving them a shot of Vivitrol 10 days before their release from prison. The plan has been endorsed by our governor, Doug Ducey.
What is Vivitrol you may ask? It's a drug that is injected in a muscle, usually the buttocks, and blocks the effects of opioids and alcohol for up to 30 days. It's generic name is Naltrexone and you can learn more about it at drugs.com.
I'm familiar with the drug because we've offered it for a while at TLC. And those who have begun using it report that it removes their desire to use drugs or alcohol.
So now we have a potential cure for those addicts who use opiates or alcohol. While it is expensive - at around $600 a month, it's still cheaper than keeping users in jail.
But the interesting thing to me is that some addicts have declined to use the drug. And some who have used it have stopped after the first month. And declined further injections.
What does this mean? To me it means they aren't done using. They haven't had enough pain yet.
Is it possible that some people just like the effects of drugs and alcohol? And no matter what cure is offered they will shun it?
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