Injecting room to close
Norway is to close its only illicit drug injecting room in Oslo city.
An evaluation showed that despite the injecting room there were still 200 illicit drug deaths every year in Norway.
The injecting room was ineffective and cost in excess of $A2.6 million every year to run.
The savings will be used for patient rehabilitation particularly for linked illicit drug addiction with mental illness.
(Source: - Eurad release 24 September 2008)
DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-
This realization that illicit drug injecting rooms do not work should be adopted in Australia to close the Kings Cross injecting room in Sydney.
The funds saved should be diverted into drug rehabilitation and its known link with mental illness.
The scientific evidence is that illicit drug use is driving increased demand for mental health services.
Illicit drug injecting rooms divert funds away from detoxification and rehabilitation programs and mental health services that can reduce the demand for illicit drugs.
Injecting rooms maintain addicts in their addiction and simply fund crime syndicates who supply the drugs to the addicts for use in the injecting room.
Court ordered and supervised detoxification and rehabilitation programs to divert addicts away from drug use are worlds best practice.
Norway has adopted world best practice in focusing its policies on reducing demand for illicit drugs- Australia should also.
THE DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS-
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.
35/2008
