PINS AND NEEDLES: A COUNCILLOR'S HOLISTIC ALTERNATIVE

Two weeks ago, independent Maribyrnong councillor Catherine Cumming opened
what she believed was the first outpatient acupuncture detoxification centre
for heroin addicts in the western suburbs.

She funded it herself because she saw a dire need for a free, drug-free
clinic that allowed users to quit heroin holistically.

Cr Cumming, a Victoria University Chinese medicine graduate, said visitors
to her non-profit Bridge Health Group in Nicholson Street, Footscray, could
drop in any time for a 45-minute acupuncture treatment, counselling and
group support.

Cr Cumming is one of two Maribyrnong councillors to declare a view on heroin
injecting rooms. The other is Tonya Stevens, a Labor councillor who supports
them.

Cr Cumming opposes heroin injecting facilities for Footscray because she
believes most locals don't want it. She says that with its many empty shops
and high unemployment, Footscray would suffer more than other proposed
suburbs such as St Kilda and Collingwood.

"It's a social experiment that Footscray can't afford to go through at the
moment," she said.

Cr Cumming said residents and traders had a deep distrust of state and local
governments' ability to monitor such a room.

Safe injecting facilities were "Band-Aid measures" that shirked the reasons
for addiction such as unemployment and boredom.

Cr Cumming supports heroin trials that would allow doctors to regulate
addicts' doses, and eliminate street-use health risks.

She regards the Liberals' rejection of injecting facilities as "a win by
default", given that Footscray is a Labor area and the local MP, Labor's
Bruce Mildenhall, is a supporter.

Since Cr Cumming's centre opened, response from addicts has been
encouraging, with 15 to 20 clients treated per day.

Ms Cumming said acupuncture tackled insomnia, fear, anger, toxins and
addiction by "bringing the body back to balance".

She said the treatment method she used, the United States' National
Acupuncture Detoxification Association's, was used in 700 prisons, clinics
and hospitals worldwide, and had a 70 per cent success rate in the US.

Joanne Lorenzon, 30, of Avondale Heights, was at the centre yesterday. The
mother of three became a heroin addict eight years ago after a boyfriend
stabbed her 12 times.

She said that having five pins in each ear was a little strange but daily
treatments have left her "really relaxed and calm".