1500 ADDICTS USE DRUG CLINIC, SURVEY REVEALS

MORE than 1500 addicts have signed up to use Australia's first government
sanctioned injecting room in Kings Cross, it was revealed yesterday.

Since opening six months ago, the medically supervised injecting centre has
dealt with 88 drug overdoses on its Kings Cross premises.

It has also defied expectations and not acted as a magnet for drug dealers
and other criminals in the area, preliminary data reveals.

Premier Bob Carr told Parliament yesterday 1507 addicts had registered to
use the clinic run by the Uniting Church, while 623 had been referred for
treatment.

The clinic is one third of the way into its 18-month trial. Of the
overdoses, 52 were from heroin, 28 cocaine and eight from tranquillisers
and other opioids.

A survey conducted last month found an average of 95 users shot up each
day, with both heroin and cocaine used.

Most addicts who visited the centre were aged between 26 and 35 years of age.

Staff provided first aid, crisis counselling, advice on health, drug
treatment, accommodation, legal and financial issues on 929 occasions.

Mr Carr said ambulance call-outs in the area had fallen dramatically since
the clinic opened. There were 83 call-outs in a three-month period last
year compared to 16 between July and August 2001.

He said the preliminary results were cause for "cautious optimism".
Contrary to claims at the time the trial was announced in 1999, it had not
acted as a "honeypot" for dealers in the area, he said.

"This preliminary data indicates some positive signs, although one must be
... very, very cautious," he said.

"Local police say they have not seen any increase or shift in drug dealing
or use patterns in the area."