NRC writes this after an inventory of the Trimbos Institute, Mainline Foundation and MDHG, an interest group for drug users. On behalf of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS), they spoke with addiction physicians, reception centers and drug users.
Major impact on drug users
These conversations show that the corona crisis and corona measures have a major impact on drug users. For example, the availability of heroin is decreasing, so that addicts are increasingly asking for methadone. Methadone is a strong pain killer that can be used as a heroin replacement.
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According to addiction care institution Jellinek, there are about 14,000 people in the Netherlands addicted to heroin. 7,000 to 8,000 of them receive methadone daily, estimates Trimbos researcher Daan van der Gouwe. Recently, addicts have been reporting methadone provision, especially in Amsterdam and South Limburg.
Drug dealers at reception locations
A number of shelter locations for addicts would tolerate drug dealers on their property during the corona crisis, according to the tour of the Trimbos Institute. That is against the law, because the sale of hard drugs is prohibited.
Nevertheless, a number of user areas and reception locations are ‘turning a blind eye’. Van der Gouwe understands that. “It is understandable that in this crisis situation the edges of legislation are being explored.”
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Another risk is that heroin addicts switch to other drugs, such as heavy painkillers such as oxycodone. Last year, RTL Nieuws showed that more and more users become addicted or even die from the use of oxycodone.
“In other countries we have seen that this can lead to terrible conditions,” said former Minister of Medical Care Bruins at the time. “We don’t want that here.”
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