Pay Drug Addicts To Be Steralized?

[CaveMum]

I had heard about the American charity that pays drug and alcohol addicts to be steralized (long term or permanently), and it appears they are setting up shop in the UK.

Story here

Your thoughts?

Personally I kind of think it is a good thing [ducks the slings and arrows]. Addicts by their very nature are selfish and a selfish parent is not a good parent.

Have we gone too far in allowing addicts etc to have rights, at the expense of their own children?

I'm not keen on the idea of permanent steralization, but encouraging them to get an implant or the like means further down the line if they (hopefully) get clean and want to start a family they can.

Also, why should we have a 'right' to have children? I don't really understand the stance that anyone, no matter how dreadful a person they are, has a right to have children. I realise that this is skating close to the eugenics arguement and of course, mass sterilisation of any section of society is wrong.

Disclaimer: not all drug addicts are dreadful people.

And I'm not asking to be contentious. It is a genuine question.

So long as they're not forced and it's their choice to avail of sterilisation OR not, then I don't see the issue. Lots of people choose to be sterilised or to have a vasectomy. For reasons such as, we would need a seven seater if we had another child. I think "i am addicted to heroin' is a better reason!

THe problem is though, there is less choice when they are being paid to do so.

Callisto I don't think it is a right, however I do think they should still have the opportunity.

I think its a good idea. The addicts want the $$$ and we dont want them having poor neglected addicted babies.

If they turn their lives around, it can be reversed no?

Give addicts their drugs on the NHS. Get them rehabilitation to come off if they want.

This idea is fascist, eugenicist. Why not sterilise alcoholics, it is a far more dangerous drug than heroin.

It is only justifiable if you believe that people can't change.

But they can and do. I know quite a few people who were addicts when they were younger (either drugs or booze) and are now sober, responsible, normal members of society. Some of them perfectly normal, decent parents.

How stupid to say they should have been sterilised. Their kids are nice.

"Have we gone too far in allowing addicts etc to have rights, at the expense of their own children?"

Addicts are people, people have rights.

Coolfonz at 19.12 is completely right. Am now hiding this thread as the title in my active convos makes me angry.

Who would be next after the drug addicts?

omnishambles That's the other thing, where does this go next?

porcamiseria Of course they want money, but what about when they get clean? Will that money be any consolation?