SAFE INJECTING ROOM TO BE SET UP IN SYDNEY

Australia's first legal herion injecting room is to begin operating in
eastern Sydney within the next six to 12 months.

A trial of the injecting room will be part of a series of treatment and
support options, which New South Wales Premier Bob Carr describes as a
cautious reponse to the recommendations of the May Drug Summit.

The medically supervised injecting room will be run by the Sisters of
Charity Healthcare Services, through its drug and alcohol unit at St
Vincent's Hospital in Darlinghurst.

The unit director, Dr Alex Wodak, say he expects about 50,000 visits a year.

"It's not a dangerous facility, it's a life-saving facility," Dr Wodak said.

"Let's emphasise that. We'd expect something apporaching a 100 overdoses a
year would occur in the normal course of events.

"Those overdoses are occurring right now in Kings Cross, which is one of the
major areas for overdose in New South Wales."