Detox or lose your benefits
Posted on 3 August 2015
Mental Health Lecturer Ian Hamilton writes in The Conversation about how the latest proposal from the government is aimed at people who have problems with drugs and alcohol. Ian states the proposal is not a choice but an ultimatum - accept help for your problem or lose your right to welfare benefits.
This proposal raises some very serious issues. Treating any condition is based on consent – the person should be willing to have the treatment. In this case, people have little choice and therefore they would probably be consenting to treatment to avoid losing money. This also passes on an ethical dilemma to treatment staff, who would need to decide if they are willing to participate in state-sponsored coercion.
Read more at https://theconversation.com/detox-or-lose-your-benefits-new-welfare-proposals-are-based-on-bad-evidence-and-worse-ethics-45458.