News (Media Awareness Project) - UK: Britian's First Heroin 'Shooting Gallary' Set to Open |
| Title: | UK: Britian's First Heroin 'Shooting Gallary' Set to Open |
| Published On: | 2002-09-30 |
| Source: | Independent (UK) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-21 23:47:44 |
BRITAIN'S FIRST HEROIN 'SHOOTING GALLERY' SET TO OPEN
Britain's first heroin "shooting gallery", where addicts can get free
injections 24 hours a day, could be opened next year.
Addicts who are unable to kick their habit would be counselled and given
three injections every day of pure "pharmaceutical" heroin under plans being
considered by one of Britain's biggest police forces and drugs agencies.
The controversial scheme, which is similar to projects in Australia and
Switzerland, is being examined in Kent, where the Chief Constable has given
his backing for the project.
If the scheme is successful, it is likely to lead to heroin injection rooms
throughout the country.
A team that includes representatives of Kent police, health workers and
probation staff is examining the scale of the heroin problem in the county
and drawing up plans for a clinic. A final decision is expected next spring.
The first 24-hour clinic is likely to be situated in either Rochester,
Chatham or Gillingham.
The gallery will be aimed at addicts who have failed to respond to
detoxification treatment or prescription of the heroin substitute methadone.
Kent police believe that by offering heroin addicts prescribed diamorphine -
or pure, pharmaceutically produced heroin - they will be able to cut
dramatically the number of crimes committed by serial offenders. Any trial,
however, is bound to be hugely controversial and is likely to lead to
accusations, particularly by the right-wing press and the Tories, that the
scheme is soft on drugs and will lead to further addiction.
Superintendent Andy Gent, the senior officer on the team, said: "We are
going to look at the potential for prescribing diamorphine or pharmaceutical
heroin. One of the difficulties we have in putting heroin into a clinical
arena is that it will be the target of criminals. The security of the place
is an issue and whether the drug should be administered by a clinician or
injected by the heroin user. It has to be given three times a day and any
establishment would need to be open 24 hours every day."
Britain's first heroin "shooting gallery", where addicts can get free
injections 24 hours a day, could be opened next year.
Addicts who are unable to kick their habit would be counselled and given
three injections every day of pure "pharmaceutical" heroin under plans being
considered by one of Britain's biggest police forces and drugs agencies.
The controversial scheme, which is similar to projects in Australia and
Switzerland, is being examined in Kent, where the Chief Constable has given
his backing for the project.
If the scheme is successful, it is likely to lead to heroin injection rooms
throughout the country.
A team that includes representatives of Kent police, health workers and
probation staff is examining the scale of the heroin problem in the county
and drawing up plans for a clinic. A final decision is expected next spring.
The first 24-hour clinic is likely to be situated in either Rochester,
Chatham or Gillingham.
The gallery will be aimed at addicts who have failed to respond to
detoxification treatment or prescription of the heroin substitute methadone.
Kent police believe that by offering heroin addicts prescribed diamorphine -
or pure, pharmaceutically produced heroin - they will be able to cut
dramatically the number of crimes committed by serial offenders. Any trial,
however, is bound to be hugely controversial and is likely to lead to
accusations, particularly by the right-wing press and the Tories, that the
scheme is soft on drugs and will lead to further addiction.
Superintendent Andy Gent, the senior officer on the team, said: "We are
going to look at the potential for prescribing diamorphine or pharmaceutical
heroin. One of the difficulties we have in putting heroin into a clinical
arena is that it will be the target of criminals. The security of the place
is an issue and whether the drug should be administered by a clinician or
injected by the heroin user. It has to be given three times a day and any
establishment would need to be open 24 hours every day."
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