PROJECT TO AID ADDICTS MAY BE EXTENDED

A RADICAL pilot project which issues heroin addicts, their family and
friends a life-saving anti-overdose drug could be rolled out further.

Since the year-long scheme began in March, 150 supplies of Naloxone
have been given out by the Glasgow Addiction Services team. It has
been administered five times since March with all users recovering
fully.

Carole Hunter, lead pharmacist of the project, indicated she would
make recommendations that Naloxone be made more available, but said a
final evaluation would not be written until next year.

"It is certainly my hope to reduce drug-related deaths,
and that's Naloxone-only use. If you injected it into a non-drug user
it would have no effect whatsoever.

"The problem of drug deaths is a major one and so far we have not
encountered any problems, but it's too early to say that it has
totally reduced drug deaths because we are only halfway through."

Hunter pointed towards a number of other international studies which
had looked into drug-related deaths. "They all recommend that Naloxone
should be made available," she said.

Headstart, an organisation that specialises in teaching members of the
public life saving techniques, is carrying out training sessions for
the pilot.

Hunter will give a presentation on the Glasgow pilot at the National
Conference on Injecting Drug Use at the Radisson Hotel in the city
later this month.

Some of those who attend the Glasgow Association of Family Support
Groups have been through the Naloxone training. Service manager,
Stuart Greer, said: "I do advocate it being more widely available,
perhaps in shopping centres where HeartStart is used as at Braehead. I
can see the benefits of personnel in these areas being trained to use
Naloxone."

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Drugs Forum, said innovative approaches
were "absolutely necessary if we are to reduce the number of deaths
among drugs users".

Bill Aitken, Conservative MSP and justice spokesman, said: "While the
figures are hopeful I'm afraid I need a lot more evidence before I can
be persuaded this plan is workable in the longer term. The basic
advice is to stay off drugs."