Call for drugs 'injecting rooms'

Injecting rooms provide addicts with a safe and controlled environment

Experts are to call for injecting rooms to be introduced across Wales in a bid to tackle the nation's drug problems.

The plea will be heard at the National Substance Misuse Conference in Swansea and is one of a range of approaches on the meeting's agenda.

Speakers from across Europe will also describe how prescription heroin and large-scale shared care schemes can provide help for drug addicts.

However, the assembly government said injecting rooms are currently illegal.

Social Justice Minister Dr Brian Gibbons will officially open the event which marks the 25th anniversary of the local Swansea Drugs Project.

Swansea Drugs Project director Ifor Glyn said he hoped the conference would open a national debate about what else can be done in Wales to combat drug problems including the introduction of injecting rooms.

Having clean and safe premises could help encourage people into treatment, reduce risks of blood borne viruses and reduce the number of overdoses Ifor Glyn, Swansea Drugs Project

Drug experts say injecting rooms help reduce overdoses and deaths amongst addicts and encourage them into treatment by allowing them to inject in a clean, safe and controlled environment.

"Not everybody will agree with some of the ideas being presented at the conference," explained Mr Glyn.

"But we have a duty to examine all interventions that could reduce the harm caused by misuse of substances to individuals and society.

"We need to be open to looking at different options and possibly making difficult choices.

"The thought of having injecting rooms would concern some people, but we need to recognise that a large proportion of drug users are already or have injected in a public places.

"Having clean and safe premises could help encourage people into treatment, reduce risks of blood borne viruses and reduce the number of overdoses.

"Such provision have been successfully tried in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Norway, Luxembourg, Australia and Canada."

Despite this success abroad, a Welsh Assembly Government spokesman pointed out that the current laws would prevent injecting rooms from being introduced.

'Unlawful' proposal

He said: "Under current UK legislation and UN conventions, injecting rooms are unlawful.

"However, in our new substance misuse strategy, Working Together to Reduce Harm, we are committed to improving the range of programmes that can reduce the harms associated with injecting illicit drugs.

"The Advisory Panel on Substance Misuse in Wales will be asked to assess the range of safe and effective harm reduction services for injecting drug users in Wales against international practice."

He added that the panel's review of services will work towards reducing the transmission of blood-borne viruses, overdoses and drug related deaths.

More than 200 delegates from all over the UK, Ireland and Europe will attend the event where speakers will include leading academics and practitioners from the field of drug and alcohol harm reduction.

Meanwhile, key note speaker Pat O'Hare, honorary president of the International Harm Reduction Association, will question whether international prohibition is actually encouraging the global drugs market.