LESSONS ON HEROIN USE CONDEMNED

ANTIDRUG campaigners and community leaders reacted with astonishment
yesterday to the disclosure that heroin addicts may be taught how to smoke
the drug, writes Marcello Mega.

The aim is to combat a rise in Scotland of injection of drugs which health
workers fear will increase the spread of bloodborne diseases such as HIV
and hepatitis C.

Matthew Southwell, of the East London and City Drug Service, plans a pilot
project. He told a conference in Stirling that a switch away from injecting
could protect lives and save the health service money.

The practice of smoking heroin, known as chasing the dragon, could be
taught by experienced drug users who would show younger addicts the best
way to prepare the tinfoil pipes used to achieve a "greater high".

Southwell emphasised that nothing should be done that would increase the
use of the drug.

A senior Scottish clergyman, Cardinal Thomas Winning, said yesterday he was
"quite amazed" to hear of it. "Either a thing is good or not good," he
said. "If it's not good, just teaching people to use it differently can't
make it good. It's like teaching people a different way to kill
themselves."