How a Medical Journalist Helped to Legalize Heroin in Canada

Abstract

The article describes one physician's campaign to have heroin legalized for medical use as a painkiller. Funding and lobbying support from the public was marshalled by the author to put the heroin issue on the federal government's agenda. The Canadian cancer establishment generally fought the proposed reform and made many unfounded arguments. The government compromised by granting physicians the right to administer heroin, while tying up the process with such demanding red tape that almost no one bothers with the narcotic.