PANEL BACKS DRUG-INJECTING ROOMS

The call comes in the wake of a survey for the BBC that suggested
three-quarters of people in the UK believe drugs are a problem in their area.

The panel's report, funded by charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation,
said drug-injecting rooms - or so-called shooting galleries - would
offer a "unique and promising way" to help reduce the number of fatal
drug overdoses.

'Lives Saved'

It said they could help take drug use and discarded needles off the
streets.

The 11-strong panel behind the report was chaired by Dame Ruth
Runciman.

Members included Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman and Detective
Superintendent Kevin Green, of the Metropolitan police, and health
workers.

Lady Runciman said: "While millions of drug injections have taken
place in drug consumption rooms abroad, no one has died yet from an
overdose.

"In Short, Lives Could Be Saved."

There are around 65 injecting rooms in eight countries across the
world - Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Norway,
Luxembourg, Australia and Canada.

The report said public disorder and drug-dealing near drug "shooting
galleries" were "infrequent", and they did not affect levels of theft
or robbery carried out to feed drug habits.

It estimated tens of thousands of heroin injections were taken in
public places each month in England alone.

Injecting rooms were considered in 2002 by the Commons' all-party home
affairs select committee but it rejected the idea.

'Persuasive Evidence'

Martin Barnes, chief executive of drugs education charity DrugScope,
welcomed the report and said a "policy which can save lives deserves
serious consideration however controversial it may seem at first".

"The international evidence in favour of piloting drug consumption
rooms in the UK is strong and persuasive and we particularly welcome
the emphasis on local agency working and engaging with local
communities," he said.

On Monday, a survey of 1,190 people conducted by ICM for the BBC
revealed more than half thought the police were not doing enough to
combat drugs problems.

The survey also suggested there were big regional variations in drug
use, with 26% in south east England saying they had taken an illegal
drug compared with just 6% in Northern Ireland.