ANTI-DRUGS SWAFFHAM BLUE LOO GETS GREEN LIGHT

AN ATTEMPT to reverse a decision to install blue lighting in the
public toilets at Swaffham Market Place to deter drug-taking was
flushed away at the recent town council meeting.

In November, councillors unanimously agreed to install blue lighting
in the toilets at the bus stop near The Shambles after they were told
it discourages drug-takers because they cannot see veins in their
arms when injecting.

The toilets are being refurbished by Breckland Council before it
transfers responsibility for them to the town council in April.

But at this month's meeting Cllr Pippa Wade unsuccessfully called for
the previous decision to be reversed, claiming there had not been
enough information available for members to make a properly-
informed decision.

She wanted to see a stop to this misuse of the loos. But after
carrying out her own research on the subject, she said: "I can't find
any current evidence to show that blue lighting will solve the problem.

"There's ways that drug-users can get around it aE" they can mark the
veins before they go in so they know where they are injecting."

She said there was a lot of natural daylight in the toilets so
artificial lighting would only have minimal effect, and blue lighting
could cause problems for people with epilepsy.

Supporting her call, Cllr David Wickerson said: "There doesn't appear
to be any benefit from blue lighting and more important, perhaps, it
could be detrimental to other users of the facility.

"I'm equally aware that we might be moving the drug-taking problem
from one area to another."

But Cllr Terri Jennison, who has nursing experience, called for the
original decision to stand. She said drug-takers liked bright lights
to see where to inject and she had never dealt with an epileptic
whose fits had been brought on from blue lighting, it was usually
from flickering lights.

Cllr Paul Darby was concerned dim lighting might make it difficult
for the cleaning contractors, but Cllr Ian Sherwood said one
fluorescent tube could provide lighting for the cleaners and the blue
lights should stay.