A drug room is intended to be a safe place for drug user to take illegal substances.
No, drug rooms don’t encourage drug
use. An addict doesn’t need encouragement to use drugs because, as an addict,
they’re guaranteed to use. A non-drug user isn’t going to see a drug room and
think oh, let’s give that a try.
No, drug rooms don’t condone drug use.
If a paramedic, doctor or nurse treats a drug user on the street or in A&E,
they aren’t condoning drug use as an acceptable practice. They’re treating a
person in need of help. Why would health care professionals in drug rooms be
any different? Why should a designated location have a different mindset?
By providing clean needles, the risks
involved with dirty/used needles are eliminated (often the only types available
to drug users). By having medics right there, care can be administered
immediately rather than waiting for an ambulance. Drug rooms would not only
keep people safer but, ultimately, alive. This also takes pressure from the
ambulance service.
Preventative measures save a lot of
time and money so there are practical reasons to do this, not solely reasons of
compassion.
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