Some critics are calling it a bribe.

   Seattle City Council considering gift card reward program for meth addicts

As reported by Jason Rantz of MyNorthwest.com, the Seattle City Council is considering a program that would reward meth addicts for their sobriety with gift cards.

According to Rantz, and a city audit, the number of fatal meth overdoses in King County and Seattle has risen from 96 in 2016 to 318 so far this year, 2022.

Two city councilmembers,  Andrew Lewis and Lisa Herbold, have put forth what they call a "contingency management" plan.

 How does plan work?

In the 12-week plan clients (addicts) would meet with a social worker or clinician twice a week. If their urine drug tests are negative, they immediately receive a gift card. Where the card would be from was not specified, it's presumed it would be a generic one capable of being used anywhere.

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For each subsequent negative test (clean) the amount of the card would increase, for each negative test, the money level would do down. Rantz says the average reward amount would be around $300, according to studies.

However, council officials claim this method has shown success elsewhere, while critics say it's basically bribing addicts to stay clean--which has been met with less than successful results.

No mention was made of where the funding for this kind of program would come from.

 

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