INJECTING ROOMS RIGHT FOR SOME

To understand why we need safer injecting rooms, we have to determine who
will use them and why.

Two groups won't use them. One is the middle-class professionals, who
demand anonymity. There are hundreds in this group. Second, there are the
thousands of semi-professional heroin-dependents, trades people, those in
sales, secretaries etc. They inject at home or at work.

Two groups will use the rooms. First is the so-called "street" user. There
are probably a couple of thousand in this group (including most of our jail
population). Their heroin dependence will typically last 10 to 20 years.

They will use the rooms like our emergency departments, for their physical
and psychological crises, for referral for housing needs and treatment of
their addictions.

Finally there are the teenagers -- a new phenomenon over the past five
years due to the availability and cheapness of heroin. They have a chance
of detoxification and long-term abstinence if they are under 23, have
family support, are employable and don't have a drug-using partner. This
group needs every chance to be directed to treatment. The rooms need a
Centrelink component, as work is fundamental to recovery.

John Sherman, St Kilda