10 NEW POINTS AGAINST NARCOTICS

Majority for new narcotics policy

Part of the Norwegian narcotics policy can change direction today. The
Workers' Party introduces a ten point plan of action which, among other
measures will offer metadon therapy and so called "injection rooms" all
over the country.

The plan of action will probably get the support of the Progressive Party
(FRP) and can therefore be expected to pass.

It is in connection with a parlamentary question from John Alvheim (FRP) to
Minister of Social Services, Magnhild Melveit Kleppa, about overdose
deaths, that the Workers' Party (AP) today will present a bill with ten
demands about the narcotic addicts care to the central Government.

The action plan presents a different attitude to damage control of drug
users than previous positions taken by the Workers' Party. When Thorbjorn
Jagland's Government ten years ago presented its narcotics program, its
attitude towards metadon was restrictive. "Injection rooms" were not even
mentioned in spite of being well known in expert circles. "Injection rooms"
being the officially sanctioned and professionally staffed places where an
addict can indulge in peace.

OPEN MIND

- - Experts are divided about the use of metadon as well as the "injection
room" theory. We have to regard what people close to the addicts are
saying, says Gunhild Oyanger of the Storting Social Committee and
continues: - We must face this debate about "injection rooms" and I, for
one, approach it with an open mind. With the large number of deaths we
cannot reject this proposal out-of-hand. There is nothing that says that
"injection rooms" is encouraging addicts or attracting new users. Rather
the reverse is true.

ADJUST THE COURSE

Leaders of the Workers' Party's Storting Group have decided to adjust its
official policies and amend them in order to lighten the situation for drug
addicts.

- - When we are in a situation with 134 deaths in just one year and seven
cases of overdosing in Oslo every day, we must find solutions based on this
new new reality, says Gunhild Oyanger.

NEW MEASURES

- - We have clear signals from the expert that there are too little action in
the programs the Social Department currently administers and that they are
unaware of the new reality. The new addicts to heavy use is here large,
something which has not happened in other countries. And the problem is no
longer to be found only in the larger cities but also in rural areas.
Therefore we must find new ways to meet this problem. The proposal to use
Subutex for the many heavy users waiting for metadone assisted programs is
one of these new ways. France has good experiences with Subutex, says Oyanger.

FRP UNITED

With the added votes of the FRP this social concept, earlier rejected by
the Storting, can be brought to reality. John Alvheim, in his parlamentary
question today, searched for concrete measures to combat the many overdose
deaths and the generally low health among injecting users. He has earlier
embraced several of the points in the Workers' Party's action plan and
together the two political parties have a majority in the Storting.