Pubdate: Mon, 12 Jun 2000
Source: Age, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2000 David Syme & Co Ltd
Contact:  250 Spencer Street, Melbourne, 3000, Australia
Website: http://www.theage.com.au/
Author: Nicole Witham

INJECTING ROOMS: A POSITIVE MESSAGE

The message being conveyed through the establishment of supervised injecting
rooms is that heroin is not a drug to experiment with down a back alley.

For those people who will use this safe environment, it says that your
health is at risk by using this drug.  It says that clean needles are
available, and help is at hand, should what you are using include other
substances.

Such a facility is not going to attract the experimenting teenager. What
group of 16-year-olds would want to go to a place fullt of adults asking
questions about their lifestyle and drug habits?

The current approach is not working. The problem is not going to go away.
Supervised injecting houses are a step towards some sort of control over the
problem and will ultimately save lives.

NICOLE WITHAM, Yarraville
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