Llanelli drugs charity Kaleidoscope 'may pay addicts not to have children'
A DRUGS charity in Llanelli may pay female addicts not to become pregnant, it has emerged.
Under the highly controversial move being considered by drug and alcohol project Kaleidoscope, the women would be offered money to use contraceptive implants to stop them falling pregnant when their lifestyles are deemed so chaotic they should not have children.
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The £50 payment has been suggested by Kaleidoscope founder Martin Blakebrough. Although the project is based in Newport they have a Llanelli branch based in the town's parish hall on Church Street.
Misuse
A study has revealed around one third of all childcare social work cases in Wales involve parental substance misuse at a cost of around £117 million a year.
Mr Blakebrough said: "We are not here to judge people, all we are saying is that some people need a bit of a push to benefit themselves and society.
"What we would never say to any woman is that they would never be fit to have children. But with certain groups of addicts, a lot of them are not in the position to have a planned pregnancy, their lives are just too chaotic — the idea is simply to delay the process."
Llanelli councillor and former mayor John Jenkins said he had "misgivings" about the scheme. He said: "Anyone who has seen an addict in the desperate grip of addiction knows that they will do anything to get their hands on money to fund their drug addict. So this scheme is financially irresponsible.
"Secondly, under the ludicrous Needle Distribution Scheme, we are flooding our communities with needles under the pretence that it is to stop the spread of blood-borne diseases and infections like AIDS and hepatitis. Now, by giving addicts implants to prevent pregnancy we are encouraging addicts to have unprotected sex as most will not see the need to use a condom so it is also medically irresponsible."
Problems
Llanelli AM Helen Mary Jones added: "I think it's right that Kaleidoscope should be giving this consideration, but we must always remember that people can come back from serious addiction problems, and go on to be responsible citizens and caring loving parents.
"So as a short term measure, while somebody's life is in total chaos, this seems right, but any permanent measures would be wrong."
geraint.thomas@swwmedia.co.uk
12 Comments
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by Rob, Llanelli
Thursday, January 13 2011, 5:28AM
“Eugenics, anyone?
Those commenters recommending sterilisation have a lot in common with Himmler and the Nazis”
by Rebecca, swansea
Wednesday, January 12 2011, 1:20AM
“i think there is nothing wrong with this idea. Never mind £50 for the implant. Give them £200 so they can be sterilized. Bugger the human right brigade. People who are hooked on heroin don't give a toss about whether they get pregnant or not because that is what the drug does to a user. No regard for anything other than their next fix. They don't mean to be that way, it's just what the drug does. No normal, comprehensive person would want to have a baby if they were addicted to drugs, so regardless of what you/I/they might think they will spend the money on, if it saves the heart ache of a baby being born a drug addict, or being starved to death 5 years down the line, or a 9 year old having to find their parent dead with a needle in their arm, then so be it. If they use the money to get 20 fixes, it's not my priority. A helpless child is. The addict comes next. If I thought giving an addict £200 pounds would clean them up, I would gladly hand it over, but the truth is, 99% of the time, it won't. Call me callous, but I am a realist.”
by dead in the water., the bronx.
Tuesday, January 11 2011, 9:58PM
“Let me think? Paying a "smacked up" alcoholic mother on the game a few quid "not to have " kids £50?? mmmm?
what was the question?. zzzzzzzz.”
by Da, Skewen
Tuesday, January 11 2011, 6:10PM
“Once again we seem to be pandering to the feral, the feckless and the long-term useless. If they breed the state should immediately step in and give the child to a loving couple who would look after it. Druggies by their nature are secretive, selfish people. Its time we rose up and said enough is enough! There are too many bleeding heart liberals in this country who will travel thousands of miles just to be offended!!”
by ElasticKorma, london
Tuesday, January 11 2011, 4:11PM
“Soon we will be ordered to leave our belongings on our doorstops so they don't have to bother breaking into our homes to steal them. Chaotic lifestyles indeed, they don't know the half of it.”
by Richard, Clydach
Tuesday, January 11 2011, 2:34PM
“Maybe they should offer an alternative incentive instead of cash which is public money feeding their habit. Maybe a supermarket food token to the value or similar. Perhaps the charity would also provide condoms at the same time as the implant to instill the education of safer sex.”
by Acemoaner, SA1
Tuesday, January 11 2011, 12:44PM
“Sexist.”
by geoff, llanelli
Tuesday, January 11 2011, 11:15AM
“£50 quid,well thats their next fix sorted!!”
by Dan, Llanelli
Tuesday, January 11 2011, 11:06AM
“What a rediculous idea.”
by ., swansea
Tuesday, January 11 2011, 10:45AM
“this makes no sense......the implant is free from your gp!”