News (Media Awareness Project) - Australia: Safe Drug Centres Push |
| Title: | Australia: Safe Drug Centres Push |
| Published On: | 1999-03-12 |
| Source: | Age, The (Australia) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-06 11:08:58 |
SAFE DRUG CENTRES PUSH
Authorities should look at trialling safe injecting rooms within
existing city needle exchanges, welfare workers said yesterday.
The exchanges would provide an ideal environment for safe injecting
rooms because they already offer clean needles and disposal services,
as well as health information, treatment and rehabilitation referrals,
they said.
Advocates for such a proposal include Mr Nathan Stirling, the chief
executive of Open Family.
``The whole idea is to make the users feel safer and more comfortable
... I don't think there's any one model, it's more the principle of
the thing,'' he said. ``I think people running the needle exchange
businesses have been in favor of this for ages.''
Two weeks ago, Open Family revealed a plan to open two safe injecting
rooms, one in Footscray and one in Sydney. The group has since been
advised that under present legislation the rooms would be illegal.
One of Victoria's most influential public health advocates, Dr Rob
Moodie, the chief executive of VicHealth, said he supported clean
injecting facilities within environments providing comprehensive
information, care and support.
Dr Moodie told The Age Melbourne was in the grip of a ``relatively
explosive'' heroin epidemic and the health of young drug users had to
be top priority.
``We should really be talking about health services for users that do
include education, counselling, referral, needle and syringe exchange
and needle disposal ... it has to be an overall approach to providing
health services to users,'' he said.
These comprehensive centres would be particularly suited to drug users
with a chronic problem aged in their mid-20s, Dr Moodie said.
He was speaking after the release of a report into the spiralling
Smith Street heroin trade. The study found heroin was injected in the
Smith Street area about every 12 minutes.
Ms Colleen Pearce, the director of Uniting Church community services,
said it was crucial to provide safe centres for drug users with
everything from injecting rooms to information.
Authorities should look at trialling safe injecting rooms within
existing city needle exchanges, welfare workers said yesterday.
The exchanges would provide an ideal environment for safe injecting
rooms because they already offer clean needles and disposal services,
as well as health information, treatment and rehabilitation referrals,
they said.
Advocates for such a proposal include Mr Nathan Stirling, the chief
executive of Open Family.
``The whole idea is to make the users feel safer and more comfortable
... I don't think there's any one model, it's more the principle of
the thing,'' he said. ``I think people running the needle exchange
businesses have been in favor of this for ages.''
Two weeks ago, Open Family revealed a plan to open two safe injecting
rooms, one in Footscray and one in Sydney. The group has since been
advised that under present legislation the rooms would be illegal.
One of Victoria's most influential public health advocates, Dr Rob
Moodie, the chief executive of VicHealth, said he supported clean
injecting facilities within environments providing comprehensive
information, care and support.
Dr Moodie told The Age Melbourne was in the grip of a ``relatively
explosive'' heroin epidemic and the health of young drug users had to
be top priority.
``We should really be talking about health services for users that do
include education, counselling, referral, needle and syringe exchange
and needle disposal ... it has to be an overall approach to providing
health services to users,'' he said.
These comprehensive centres would be particularly suited to drug users
with a chronic problem aged in their mid-20s, Dr Moodie said.
He was speaking after the release of a report into the spiralling
Smith Street heroin trade. The study found heroin was injected in the
Smith Street area about every 12 minutes.
Ms Colleen Pearce, the director of Uniting Church community services,
said it was crucial to provide safe centres for drug users with
everything from injecting rooms to information.
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