Pubdate: Tue, 09 Aug 2005
Source: Evening Times (UK)
Copyright: 2005 Newsquest (Herald & Times) Limited
Contact:  http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3252
Author: Michelle Gallacher
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

HOW CAN WE STOP THE RISE OF DRUG-RELATED DEATHS?

Drug Deaths Are On The Increase With More Than 300 Last Year. So What Is 
Wrong With The Support Systems And How Can The We Cut The Number Of Deaths? 
Michelle Gallacher Talks To Leading Experts And A Former Addict To Find The 
Answers.

Addicts could be given emergency drug kits to be used to revive them if 
they overdose. The radical idea is being proposed in a bid to halt the 
rising number of drug related deaths in Scotland.

Currently being piloted in England and already hailed a success in America, 
the suggestion was among an array of proposals discussed at a conference in 
Glasgow.

More than 300 Scots died from a drugs overdose last year and the figure was 
an increase on the previous year despite expensive anti-drugs campaigns and 
a major initiative to clampdown on dealers.

So what would stop so many Scots dying unnecessarily each year?

New research unveiled yesterday showed almost 50% of addicts are with 
someone else when they overdose.

It also showed a startling lack of awareness among addicts about their risk 
of overdosing, or the importance of calling an ambulance when someone else 
overdoses.

The Scottish Drugs Forum has already set up a first aid programme to teach 
addicts and their families basics, such as how to recognise an overdose 
case and how to put them in the recovery position.

David Liddel, Scottish Drugs Forum director, said: "For people working in 
this field, the lack of knowledge among addicts isn't a surprise.

"There are many myths about what to do if someone overdoses.

"That's why teaching first aid is so important."

Shockingly, the study showed that in a fifth of overdoses an ambulance is 
not called ... despite other people being there at the time.

Addicts claim this reluctance to phone for help is because the police 
accompany ambulance crews on drugs call-outs and people fear being arrested.

In Manchester, the police stopped routinely attending ambulance call-outs. 
Evidence suggests this encouraged addicts to summon medical help. This is 
now being considered in Scotland.

In London drugs kits which include a heroin blocker called Naloxone have 
been given to addicts to keep them alive until ambulance crews arrive.

Professor John Strang, the director of the National Addiction Centre, 
King's College, London, said: "We have found the people who overdose are 
very often alive when the ambulance is called, but have died by the time it 
gets there.

"This drug would take them over that gap."

Medical opinion is divided on Naloxone, but Dr Strang insists he's 
discovered no side effects so far and believes emergency supplies should be 
given out.

However, some medics feel drug users may see it as a licence to take as 
much heroin as they want without risk.

David Liddel believes the best way to stop people overdosing is to stop 
them getting addicted in the first place.

He said: "For most addicts there is something else that has made them turn 
to drugs and if we can intervene early enough we can prevent this happening."

His view is backed up by recent research.

The new drugs report unveiled by Deputy Justice Minister Hugh Henry 
yesterday showed most people who die from overdoses are young men from 
"traumatic backgrounds".

Recent research by Glasgow University found two thirds of female drug users 
had suffered physical abuse and one third had suffered sexual abuse.

David said: "We may sometimes need to work with very young children to stop 
them going down the same road as their parents.

"There needs to be better counselling available."

David also believes much more cash needs to be invested to create better 
treatment programmes for addicts who decide to come off drugs.

He said: "In some places addicts struggle to get access to specialist 
services and only have their GP to rely on. In others they may get 
methadone or a detox but no counselling.

"The problems that caused them to start taking drugs are still there."

David said the Scottish Executive must also focus on getting former addicts 
into work or training.

He said: "These people must be given a future. If they have that, their 
emotional problems may not be as important, because they have something 
else to hold on to."
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MAP posted-by: Beth