DEFERRAL WIDENS A DEADLY GAP FOR ADDICTS

IVAN HOY (CT, July 6) poses the almost irrelevant question about how
"addicts'' will get to an injecting room. This question would have been
answered by the injecting room trial but is irrelevant at the moment
because the trial has been sidelined by the Assembly crossbenchers,
Rugendyke and Osborne.

However, if he had noted Mr Rugendyke's contemptuous views on drug
dependent people he might choose that as an answer: ''The drug users that I
know don't even have the capacity to clean their teeth in the morning let
alone know how to work out how to get a bus to where this thing might be"
(CT, June 30).

In reality many find their way into Civic. The CEO of ADDInc advised on ABC
radio yesterday that injecting drug users collect their syringes, leave the
building and use in some secret place, sometimes nearby. Of those who get
into trouble with the drug some are fortunate enough to have a friend who
finds them to take them back where they are looked after by ADDInc.

Sometimes providing resuscitation, sometimes calling an ambulance, but most
often simply caring for them.

But sadly with the deferral of the injecting room trial this deadly gap in
the service will now continue to exist.

B McCOnnell President, Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform, Higgins