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Call to open drug 'shooting galleries'

Controversial facilities allowing drug addicts to inject themselves in hygienic surroundings should be trialled in Britain, a report from an influential charity said today.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation's report said the UK should pilot a series of "drug consumption rooms".

Continues...... http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article570561.ece

Do you think this is a good idea?

Reply 1

Chrism

1

Yes, excellent idea. Read a report on this by the Bow Group about 2 years ago showing the benefits on it which I'll try and dig up later.

Reply 2

Golden Maverick

4

I think it could have great benefits - provision of clean needles to prevent HIV and Hep-B spread, reduction of drug-induced death or injury, exposure to drug rehab workers to try to reduce use.

Although there would definitely need to be trials and analysis of these benefits before any widescale action.

Reply 3

bikerx23

1

I'm sceptical - although I agree medically it is beneficial since it would stop the spread of such diseases, I disagree that something so vehemently lambasted by politicians as one of the major causes of social ills can also be ingraciated with open arms just because it would make them seem modern. Drugs should either be legal or illegal - no middle ground. The policy of providing people with free needles has worked, but do you really need to supervise their use too?

It would be interesting though to see the demographics of those using such drugs, but not worth it for the endorsement of such illegal activities it would result in - it would be sending a message that drugs are not something that can be eradicated from the country which politicians are showing so desperately hard to spread...

Reply 4

Ozymandias

Well if there isn't the funding to provide treatment for every addict, surely it's better to have somewhere safe and clean for them to shoot up than for them to do it on the street, contracting HIV or hepatitis from shared needles? Of course, if there is enough funding to provide treatment for every addict, then the emphasis should be on treating them - I'm hypothesising.

Reply 5

Golden Maverick

4

bikerx23

I'm sceptical - although I agree medically it is beneficial since it would stop the spread of such diseases, I disagree that something so vehemently lambasted by politicians as one of the major causes of social ills can also be ingraciated with open arms just because it would make them seem modern. Drugs should either be legal or illegal - no middle ground. The policy of providing people with free needles has worked, but do you really need to supervise their use too?

It would be interesting though to see the demographics of those using such drugs, but not worth it for the endorsement of such illegal activities it would result in - it would be sending a message that drugs are not something that can be eradicated from the country which politicians are showing so desperately hard to spread...

I think as long as there was emphasis on the increased access for rehab workers to addicts I don't think it would necessarily send that impression.

Reply 6

bikerx23

1

I'm sure...but it depends on if you could trust the media to portray it that way - realistically it alligned with a system to assist rehab would, I agree, be a beneficial system, but, ofcourse the sun would only have "Drugs 'R' Us" or something comparably witting and equally motivating to dash some idiotic hacks heads on the pavement in all its mulchy gore...
The public would not recieve the true story and true intentions of the project as it would be so easy for the papers to revolutionise...

Reply 7

Quetia20

Although the intentions are undoubtedly good, I do think it would be running the risk of appearing to condone drug use. I think that funds are probably better used trying to help those who are willing to step forward and admit that they want help, as many of the people who use drug shooting galleries will probably have no intention of trying to enter a rehab program. It could even have the effect of providing recreational drug users with a way in which to increase and consolidate their drug use, thus making their situation worse.

In order for drug shooting galleries to work, I think there would have to be some sort of system whereby rehab was made compulsory for all those wanting to use them, in order to eliminate any possibility of them having the effect of increasing drug use.

Reply 8

WaW™

3

yh lets open places where we can encourage ppl to break laws! lets open places where ppl can get raped, murdered etc. we shud be locking them up in rehab clinics so they can get clean not opening special places where they are actually helped and encouraged to do it!

Reply 9

SeanC

1

Open em, leave em open a while, then arrest every one of the people that have visited and used em.

Reply 10

clouddweller

I actually read an article about rooms like these in Switzerland; they seem to have been highy successful. With the right supervision and provision I think they could work out very beneficial wherever they're implemented.

Reply 11

SunburnedCactus

11

It would allow the government increased control on the supply of the drug.

Reply 12

RieLouise

1

Mortimer

yh lets open places where we can encourage ppl to break laws! lets open places where ppl can get raped, murdered etc. we shud be locking them up in rehab clinics so they can get clean not opening special places where they are actually helped and encouraged to do it!

You are aware of the history of those laws, aren't you?

http://www.release.org.uk/html/~The_Law/~Legal_History/1900_to_1939.php

Reply 13

George Agdgdgwngo

17

Vortigen

Do you think this is a good idea?

The majority of junkies don't give a sh!t about where they inject, whether it's safe, or have interests in public safety, so i'm very sceptical. They either won't get used, or if they do get used, I think it will just be a crime concentration camp. The root of drug supply and addiction has to be tackled, aiding drug addicts' addictions will solve no problems.

Reply 14

El Scotto

15

Vortigen

Do you think this is a good idea?

Personally I think it should go further, they should sell the stuff to the junkies there as well. thus undercutting the dealers and giving an income back to the health service in the form of taxes on the stuff.

But it would have to be an on-site license, and not off-licensed so they could take it away.

Reply 15

George Agdgdgwngo

17

El Scotto

Personally I think it should go further, they should sell the stuff to the junkies there as well. thus undercutting the dealers and giving an income back to the health service in the form of taxes on the stuff.

But it would have to be an on-site license, and not off-licensed so they could take it away.

The dealers would probably just come in with better prices though because they have a mega profit-margin (mainly at the top of the supply chain) to play with.

Reply 16

username54863

11

A book by Ben Elton (and subsequently a film, though I haven't seen it) called 'High Society' tackles this sort of thing to the extreme with a legalisation of all drugs, it is very interesting actually I highly reccommend it. In the end it falls through but it's interesting how it could work, though obviously things in the real world don't turn out that way.

I think it would be helpful for addicts but personally I have no experience so I don't really know.

Reply 17

El Scotto

15

wikiwikiwildwildwest

The dealers would probably just come in with better prices though because they have a mega profit-margin (mainly at the top of the supply chain) to play with.

I've never met an alcohol dealer selling almost smirnoff ice :wink:

(apart from nightclubs selling VK for a pound on saturday nights)

they have quite a trek to bring the drugs over here, to compete with a licenced premises they'd have to import a lot more of the stuff, which would result in a higher chance of them getting caught or reckless.

Reply 18

username54863

11