INJECTING ROOMS FAIL
A recent analysis of official reports on the Sydney Kings Cross injecting room have confirmed that unavailability of heroin is of far greater significance in preventing heroin deaths than the availability of injecting rooms.
Less than 9800 drug users were registered at Kings Cross which is a small number of illicit drug users in New South Wales.
Most drug users lived well away from Kings Cross and used the rooms only occasionally so most drug use was elsewhere.
The severe heroin drought at the end of 2000 led to the reduction in drug deaths.
Seven out of eight of the 1652 drug deaths in NSW between May 1998 and April 2006 were not in the Kings Cross vicinity.
In fact, timely ambulance attendance is more likely to prevent a drug death than any other factor.
Restriction of access to illicit drugs plays a major role in preventing drug use and deaths.
(Source: Kings Cross Injecting Centre Fails to Reduce Overdose Deaths, Dr. L. Sullivan PhD)
DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-
This study confirms overseas research that indicates that injecting rooms are a failure and are being closed down.
Restriction of illicit drug supply is effective in reducing use and deaths.
Reducing the demand for illicit drugs is a key to successful drug policy.
Drug policy should divert identified drug users into court ordered and supervised detoxification and rehabilitation to get them drug free.
More detoxification & rehabilitation that gets illicit drug users drug free.
Court ordered and supervised detoxification & rehabilitation.
Less illicit drug users, drug pushers and drug related crimes.
34/2009