How to quit
January 19, 2012
In the Netherlands we don't abandon an addict. We distribute cheap beer, hand out heroin for free and if necessary we offer a sleep spot. In the rest of the world our correspondents didn't find soft treatments, but only rehabilitation by praying, vomiting and tying up.
In Burkina Faso vicar Samuel helps 21-year old Sori quit smoking weed. If Sori gets agressive, he ties him up to a tree until he has calmed down. Meanwhile the vicar and his followers are praying for him in front of the tree. That sounds like a harsh measure, but it's effective. Because now he'll certainly remains clean, according to the vicar.
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
Another striking detoxifation cure is found by our correspondent in Thailand. The 24-year old Jan was a former heroin smoker and now she occupies herself with a daily vomit ritual in a rehab temple. In Indonesia we take a look inside the only Islamic rehab in the country. Muslims who couldn't resist the temptation of narcotics come here to sober up. They mainly do this by praying, at least eight hours a day.
Here in the Netherlands our therapies are a lot more comfortable. Mark wants to stop drinking and therefore attends an anthroposophic rehab clinic in Zeist. As part of the therapy he can bathe for hours, every day he's being swaddled like a baby and every night the nurse puts him to bed. That sounds a lot better than "Plan Boozer" in Nicaragua, where notorious alcoholics will be removed from the streets, shaved and forced to go into rehab.
New reports online January 26 at 9.00 pm.