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| Brighton considers drug-use rooms in bid to reduce deaths | Brighton considers drug-use rooms in bid to reduce deaths |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Brighton could become the first city in the UK to provide rooms where people would be able to use illegal drugs safely without the fear of prosecution. | Brighton could become the first city in the UK to provide rooms where people would be able to use illegal drugs safely without the fear of prosecution. |
| Their use is one of the recommendations in an independent report commissioned by Brighton and Hove City Council. | Their use is one of the recommendations in an independent report commissioned by Brighton and Hove City Council. |
| The aim would be to reduce drug-related deaths in a city described as having had "a drug abuse problem for decades". | The aim would be to reduce drug-related deaths in a city described as having had "a drug abuse problem for decades". |
| Sussex Police welcomed the report but emphasised the importance of a "holistic approach" to illegal drugs. | Sussex Police welcomed the report but emphasised the importance of a "holistic approach" to illegal drugs. |
| The research by the Independent Drugs Commission for Brighton and Hove proposes providing consumption rooms - often referred to as shooting galleries - where people could use their own illegal drugs under the supervision of professional healthcare workers. | The research by the Independent Drugs Commission for Brighton and Hove proposes providing consumption rooms - often referred to as shooting galleries - where people could use their own illegal drugs under the supervision of professional healthcare workers. |
| They would provide medical care if required. | They would provide medical care if required. |
| 'Prescription recommendation' | 'Prescription recommendation' |
| The intention is to reduce the risk of overdoses and other drug-related deaths, as well as decreasing the amount of drug-taking on the streets of Brighton. | The intention is to reduce the risk of overdoses and other drug-related deaths, as well as decreasing the amount of drug-taking on the streets of Brighton. |
| It also suggests making Naloxone, a prescription drug which can prevent fatal overdoses, directly available to users. | It also suggests making Naloxone, a prescription drug which can prevent fatal overdoses, directly available to users. |
| Services for young drug takers should also be separated, according to the report, to prevent them mixing with older, more established users. | Services for young drug takers should also be separated, according to the report, to prevent them mixing with older, more established users. |
| Councillor Rob Jarrett, chairman of the council's adult care and health committee, welcomed the report's findings, saying: "Brighton and Hove has had a problem with drug abuse for decades and we're determined to do something about it, so we take these recommendations very seriously. | Councillor Rob Jarrett, chairman of the council's adult care and health committee, welcomed the report's findings, saying: "Brighton and Hove has had a problem with drug abuse for decades and we're determined to do something about it, so we take these recommendations very seriously. |
| "These recommendations should help us strengthen our existing pioneering services that are now tailored to users and delivering real results to help combat the problem." | "These recommendations should help us strengthen our existing pioneering services that are now tailored to users and delivering real results to help combat the problem." |
| The commission consists of 10 local experts - including Kate McKenzie, mother of recovering drug addict Hannah McKenzie - who have been working over the past year on recommendations to reduce the dangers of drugs in Brighton. | The commission consists of 10 local experts - including Kate McKenzie, mother of recovering drug addict Hannah McKenzie - who have been working over the past year on recommendations to reduce the dangers of drugs in Brighton. |
| More than 60,000 people in Brighton and Hove, which has a population of just over 270,000, have used drugs, according to the commission. | More than 60,000 people in Brighton and Hove, which has a population of just over 270,000, have used drugs, according to the commission. |
| They include more than 2,000 problem heroin and cocaine users. | |
| For several years Brighton had more drug-related deaths than any other city in the UK - in 2000, 67 residents died from drug misuse. | For several years Brighton had more drug-related deaths than any other city in the UK - in 2000, 67 residents died from drug misuse. |
| 'Big issue' | 'Big issue' |
| In 2011 Brighton suffered 22 drug-related deaths - nine per 100,000 people over the age of 16 - making it eighth in the table of UK drug-related deaths. | In 2011 Brighton suffered 22 drug-related deaths - nine per 100,000 people over the age of 16 - making it eighth in the table of UK drug-related deaths. |
| The director of public health for Brighton and Hove, Tom Scanlon, acknowledged the problem the city faced. | The director of public health for Brighton and Hove, Tom Scanlon, acknowledged the problem the city faced. |
| "We have a relatively high number of drug users in the city, and in the past we have had high numbers of drug-related deaths," he said. | "We have a relatively high number of drug users in the city, and in the past we have had high numbers of drug-related deaths," he said. |
| "So we welcome these recommendations and will work closely with key partners to make sure that the ideas in the report complement our work on helping people fully recover." | "So we welcome these recommendations and will work closely with key partners to make sure that the ideas in the report complement our work on helping people fully recover." |
| As yet it is not known if the creation of consumption rooms will conflict with the law on possession of illegal drugs, but the council say this "will be examined by council officers" when the report is discussed. | As yet it is not known if the creation of consumption rooms will conflict with the law on possession of illegal drugs, but the council say this "will be examined by council officers" when the report is discussed. |
| Ch Supt Nev Kemp, divisional commander for Brighton and Hove, was non-committal about the legality of consumption rooms, but said: "I welcome the report by the Independent Drugs Commission because drug use and the harm it causes is a big issue for the city of Brighton and Hove and it is entirely appropriate that we continue to look at new and innovative ways of reducing the harm that illegal drugs causes. | Ch Supt Nev Kemp, divisional commander for Brighton and Hove, was non-committal about the legality of consumption rooms, but said: "I welcome the report by the Independent Drugs Commission because drug use and the harm it causes is a big issue for the city of Brighton and Hove and it is entirely appropriate that we continue to look at new and innovative ways of reducing the harm that illegal drugs causes. |
| "It is important that I do not support or dismiss any one recommendation in isolation. Instead over the coming weeks, I will be discussing all of the recommendations with partner agencies, in order that they can be considered as part of a holistic approach to tackling the harm drugs cause. | "It is important that I do not support or dismiss any one recommendation in isolation. Instead over the coming weeks, I will be discussing all of the recommendations with partner agencies, in order that they can be considered as part of a holistic approach to tackling the harm drugs cause. |
| Court battle | Court battle |
| Decriminalised consumption rooms are currently in use in Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, Canada and Australia | Decriminalised consumption rooms are currently in use in Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, Canada and Australia |
| King's College London is currently carrying out a study on administering diamorphine (medical-grade heroin) to addicts to reduce heroin use, but this involves a legal prescription drug, whereas in the "consumption rooms" users would provide their own drugs. | |
| There is a similar facility called Insite in Vancouver, where users provide their own drugs to take in a supervised environment, which has operated since 2003 under a constitutional exemption from Canadian drug laws. | There is a similar facility called Insite in Vancouver, where users provide their own drugs to take in a supervised environment, which has operated since 2003 under a constitutional exemption from Canadian drug laws. |
| This was challenged in 2009 by the Canadian government but the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the exemption, arguing that Insite saved lives without impacting negatively on public health. | This was challenged in 2009 by the Canadian government but the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the exemption, arguing that Insite saved lives without impacting negatively on public health. |