The overwhelming majority of Swiss citizens have voted to make their comprehensive heroin program permanent. The program, which began in 1994, is composed of 23 centers to which heroin addicts may attend and get two daily doses of heroin. The doses are carefully administered with clean needles under the supervision of a nurse and the heroin used is produced in government laboratories.

Even though the addicts selected to receive these services have been previously unresponsive to therapy, the heroin program also provides psychiatric and counseling services.

The program has been praised for its reduction of “out in the open” heroin users in Switzerland, as well as reducing crime and improving the health and lives of addicts.

Trial programs modeled after the Swiss one are being put into effect or being considered on countries all over the world, including Spain, Australia, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Canada. Still, some United Nation countries have criticized the program saying it may encourage drug use.