THEY SING THE BODY ELECTRIC –
Feb. 28, 2021 – Now McGregor has called on ministers to properly consider NET, suggesting they start by watching the documentary he narrated called The Final Fix.
He said: “This film takes a hard look at this different kind of treatment and it really seems to work. I would hope that the authorities would take notice and perhaps explore for themselves. It’s at least worth exploration. Current treatment for drug addiction often utilises other addictive drugs and that may not be the answer.”
Heroin substitute methadone has been central to the government’s drugs policies but critics of the programme suggest it merely substitutes one drug for another and traps users in addiction.
Meanwhile, the number of rehab beds has fallen from around 700 to less than 200.
NET was developed in the 1970s by Hong Kong-based Scottish surgeon Meg Patterson. She believed a low-level current, delivered painlessly to the brain from two small electrodes behind the ears, caused the development of chemicals which allowed addicts to detox without the painful and distressing side-effects of withdrawal, and could be adjusted to treat different opioids.
