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SAFE CO N SU MP TI O N ROO M S - IN A N UTS HE LL . . .
WHAT ARE THEY?
The names are many:
supervised injecting facilities,
drug consumption rooms, WHERE ARE THEY?
injecting rooms, safe injecting There are approximately 90
facilities, but they all mean ‘safe injecting rooms/drug
the one thing = a clean place consumption places’ around
people who inject can go to the world - the first one was
and use their drugs in a safe opened in 1986 in Switzerland. DO THEY WORK?
environment, with protection The majority are in European Evidence indicates they are
against arrest, without the cities in Germany, Spain, an effective way of reducing
prying eyes of neighbours the Netherlands, Norway, some of the harms, including:
or cops, and where all the Luxembourg and Denmark. •numbers of overdoses
sterile injecting equipment Canada has 2 and in Australia (fatal and non-fatal);
you need can be found and we have 1 in Sydney. •public littering of injecting
safely disposed of after you’ve equipment;
had your taste. There is one Sydney’s medically supervised •providing pathways and
difference with all these injecting centre (MSIC) is in opportunities for treatment
‘names’, the drug consumption Kings Cross and opened in and support to people
rooms may also be a place you 2001 on a trial basis. After who use drugs, particularly
can go to smoke, inject, inhale, nearly 10 years and many isolated users, including with
injest and/or shaft (up your evaluations later, the NSW mental or physical health
bum) your drugs. government introduced concerns;
legislation which meant the •transmission of blood borne
These facilities can have social MSIC no longer was ‘on trial’, viruses such as hepatitis C,
workers and nurses working and became a permanent hepatitis B and HIV;
there to help out if you can’t health service. In 2001 an •injecting problems such as
find your veins, if someone evaluation of the Sydney MSIC skin abscesses and damaged
overdoses, to immunise you or found it had: veins;
to help you find or refer you to •successfully managed more •(rushed) public injecting;
health or social services such than 4,400 drug overdoses •healthcare costs such as
as rehab drug treatment and without one fatality; ambulance call-outs and
housing services. They can •reduced the number of hospital admissions.
also have showers, washing publicly discarded needles
machines and breakfast. What and syringes in the Kings
most of them don’t have is Cross area by approximately
OUT peer workers, or people half;
who have first-hand and •decreased the number of
current lived experiences of ambulance call outs to Kings
injecting/using drugs. And as Cross by 80%;
we know, it’s easier and more •generated more than 9500
often done, to ask your mates referrals to health and
for tips on using, and referrals social welfare services. H RV I C C A LL S O N
to other services. Afterall, that’s TH E V I C TO R I A N
why drug user organisations G OV E R N M E NT TO:
like Harm Reduction Victoria
(HRVic) exist, because we •T R I A L A D RU G CO N S U M P T I O N
deliver peer education training R O O M I N M EL B O U R N E OV ER A
and information on hep C, PER I O D O F N OT L E S S T H A N 3
overdose prevention, safer Y E A R S;
partying – we know what we
are talking about and the •CO MMIS S I O N A N IND EPEND EN T
government recognises our E VA LUAT I O N O F T H E S ERV I C E I N -
expertise and fund us to C LU D I N G A N ECO N O M I C A N A LYS I S
provide these services to our A N D C R I M E S TAT I S T I C S;
mates.
•EM PLOY PEER S TO
D EL I V ER A R A N G E O F
H A RM RED UC T I ON S T R AT EG I E S .
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