CALL FOR ADDICTS TO INJECT IN `SAFE ROOMS'

Special `consumption rooms' should be introduced for homeless drug addicts
who shoot up in public places and often share needles, a report recommends.

Drug addicts who sleep rough use public parks and public toilets to inject
heroin and often share equipment with other addicts in unhygenic and unsafe
conditions, according to the survey carried out among homeless addicts who
have sought help from Dublin's Merchant's Quay drugs project.

Project Director Tony Geoghegan said consideration must be given to the
provision of a supervised environment which would allow for safer injecting
practices and offer a link to more mainstream services.

``Consideration should be given to the provision of a supervised
environment such as a consumption room which would allow safer injecting
practices to occur.'' ``All rooms should have facilities for the safe use
and storage of injecting equipment including sinks, bleach and lockers.''

The report revealed that 79pc of male homeless drug users shoot up in
public places compared to 44pc of women.

Over half said they inject with a partner while under one third said they
inject drugs alone and 19pc reported doing it in a group.

Junior Housing Minister Bobby Molloy who launched the report entitled
'Wherever I lay My Hat' said a pounds 5m Budget allocation will go towards
the provision of two hostels for homeless addicts.

Individuals in sheltered accomodation were more likely to engage in more
hygienic injecting practices, according to the survey.

Over half had started using drugs before the age of 15. Women were more
likely to report using their primary drug, usually heroin, four or more
times a day whereas men admitted injecting once a week. The men had
significantly longer ``injecting careers'' and had been injecting for over
six years compared to most women who had been on drugs for over three years.

Over half surveyed said they were on another drug with one quarter taking
hash as well as heroin. Reported levels of overdose, both accidental and
deliberate, were relatively low.