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Australien. Medically supervised injecting rooms and the politics of illicit drug policy

It’s often presumed that centre-left political parties and governments favour a public health-based approach to illicit drug use designed mainly to save lives and reduce harm to individuals and the community, even if it results in an overall increase in drug use (what is called harm reduction).

In contrast, centre-right political counterparts prefer a law enforcement-based approach that prioritises a reduction in drug use irrespective of whether it results in higher levels of mortality for existing drug users (what is called zero tolerance). (Monash Universitiy, Australien, 30.08.2921)

https://lens.monash.edu/@politics-society/2021/08/30/1383696/medically-supervised-injecting-rooms-and-the-politics-of-illicit-drug-policy

USA. Rhode Island set to establish nation’s first harm reduction centers

Legislation written by the Rhode Island Medical Society (RIMS) and signed into law by Gov. Daniel McKee establishes a two-year pilot program to design, open and operate the nation’s first harm reduction centers that will save lives and direct people to treatment for substance-use disorders (SUDs). (AMA – American Medical Association, USA, 09.08.2021)

https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/opioids/rhode-island-set-establish-nation-s-first-harm-reduction-centers

Portugal. Porto to implement supervised drug-use site

This might be Portugal’s first non-mobile structure to offer such services

Twenty years after decriminalizing hard drug use, Portugal is now also turning to the provision of centres where users can safely consume drugs under the supervision of qualified medical and social personnel. The first such centre started in Lisbon in 2019 under the form of a mobile unit.

Porto will likely be the first city in the country to set up a permanent structure for the implementation of this specialized service. (themayor.eu, 13.07.2021)

https://www.themayor.eu/en/a/view/porto-to-implement-supervised-drug-use-site-8416

Webinar. Drug Consumption Rooms - Astrid Leicht, Fixpunkt Berlin

Drug Consumption Rooms (DCRs), also known as Supervised/Safe Injection Facilities (SIFs), or Overdose Prevention Centres (OPCs), provide safe environments for people to consume controlled drugs under the supervision of trained professionals who can save lives if medical emergencies such as overdoses take place. These facilities can be a powerful harm reduction strategy when implemented correctly.

In this webinar, we learn from Astrid Leicht, co-founder of FixPunkt, who runs 2 successful drug consumption rooms in Berlin, including at the infamous Kottbusser Tor. Nationwide, there are 25 drug consumption rooms in Germany, and Astrid gives a detailed summary of the impact that these have had on drug use and drug-related harms. (Drug Science, UK, 21.06.2021)

https://www.drugscience.org.uk/drug-consumption-rooms/

Understanding the Stigma and Feasibility of Opening a Safe Injection Facility in Baltimore City: A Qualitative Case Study. 

Dupree, T., Wood, C. I., & Brace, A. M. (2021). 

The Qualitative Report, 26(6), 1911-1931. doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2021.4689 

https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4689&context=tqr

Drogenkonsumräume in Nordrhein-Westfalen - Jahresbericht 2020

Herausgeberin: Geschäftsstelle der Suchtkooperation NRW (2021)

https://suchtkooperation.nrw/fileadmin/user_upload/Jahresbericht_2020_komplett.pdf

UK. Waiting for the Van (Audio)

In September 2020, drug policy activist Peter Krykant decided he'd had enough. The former heroin addict, turned frontline campaigner, bought a minivan and kitted it out with sanitisers and needles, a supply of naloxone- the medication used to reverse an opioid overdose- and a defibrillator. (BBC Sounds, UK,20.07.2021, Audio, 37:00)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000xzfz

The Impact of Supervised Consumption Services on Fentanyl-related Deaths: Lessons Learned from Alberta's Provincial Data. 

Marshall T, Abba-Aji A, Tanguay R, Greenshaw AJ. 

Can J Psychiatry. 2021 Mar 19:706743721999571. doi: 10.1177/0706743721999571. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33739168.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0706743721999571

The Ontario Integrated Supervised Injection Services Cohort Study of People Who Inject Drugs in Toronto, Canada (OiSIS-Toronto): Cohort Profile. 

Scheim AI, Sniderman R, Wang R, Bouck Z, McLean E, Mason K, Bardwell G, Mitra S, Greenwald ZR, Thavorn K, Garber G, Baral SD, Rourke SB, Werb D. 

J Urban Health. 2021 Jun 28:1–13. doi: 10.1007/s11524-021-00547-w. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34181179; PMCID: PMC8237772.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8237772/

USA. RI Assembly OKs Onsite Supervised Drug Use Centers 

Such harm reduction centers would let people "safely consume pre-obtained substances" under medical supervision while also getting help. (patch.com, USA, 02.07.2021)

https://patch.com/rhode-island/pawtucket/ri-assembly-oks-onsite-supervised-drug-use-centers

Irland. Mobile injecting centre could ‘get ball rolling’ amid continued delays to Dublin site, doctor says

Mobile injecting centres could "get the ball rolling" on a much-needed service while addressing locals' concerns about a planned permanent site, a specialist has said. (newstalk, Irland, 16.06.2021)

https://www.newstalk.com/news/mobile-injecting-centres-could-get-ball-rolling-amid-continued-delays-to-dublin-site-doctor-says-1211250

Irland. GP: Legislation is now four years old but Ireland is still without its first drug injecting centre

Dr Garrett McGovern says there’s no excuse not to have injecting centres by now. (The Journal, Irland, 15.06.2021)

https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/drug-use-in-ireland-5462976-Jun2021/

Australien. After furious debate, Melbourne council votes to support safe-injecting room in CBD

A motion by councillor Roshena Campbell – a senior Liberal party figure – opposing a safe-injecting room anywhere in the city was narrowly defeated, while a second vote on a council management report that recommended supporting a Victorian government service was successful. (SMH – Sydney Morning Herald, Australien, 25.05.2021)

https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/after-furious-debate-melbourne-council-votes-to-support-safe-injecting-room-in-cbd-20210525-p57v46.html

International Network of Drug Consumption Rooms

The International Network of Drug Consumption Rooms is a platform where the latest information and scientific evidence can shared, experiences can be discussed, advocacy initiatives can be supported, and the policies and field practices can be shared among professionals and organisations working in or around Drug Consumption Rooms. (Stand Mai 2021)

http://www.drugconsumptionroom-international.org

Australien. ‘Game changer’ treatment cuts heroin use

An opioid treatment being introduced around Australia has been dubbed a game changer after dozens of users at Melbourne’s safe injecting room stopped taking heroin.

The Richmond site was among the first in Australia to provide depot buprenorphine, a slow-release injection given weekly or monthly, outside clinical trials after it was approved for use in September 2019. (Sydney Morning Herald, Australien, 10.05.2021)

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/game-changer-treatment-cuts-heroin-use-20210505-p57p2i.html

Schottland. Why I decided to run the UK’s first drug consumption van

After overcoming my own trauma, I cannot stand back and allow governments to be complicit in allowing people to die. (Peter Krykant, The Guardian, UK, 30.04.2021)

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/30/uk-first-drug-consumption-van

Australien. ‘The last brave thing that happened’: How the injecting room led the way on drug reform

The Kings Cross injecting room’s first medical director said she doubts the centre would have opened in today’s political environment as it was “the last brave thing that happened” in drug reform.

The injecting room arose out of the Drug Summit held after the 1999 state election and former premier Bob Carr, whose government gave it the green light, said it was “an interesting example of media campaign elevating an issue onto the public agenda”. (Sydney Morning Herald, Australien, 05.05.2021)

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-last-brave-thing-that-happened-how-the-injecting-room-led-the-way-on-drug-reform-20210427-p57msu.html

USA. America’s Forgotten History of Supervised Opioid Injection

Facilities that would allow people to openly use opioids are igniting controversy today, but were once widespread. (UNDARK, USA, 29.04.2021)

https://undark.org/2021/04/29/forgotten-history-supervised-injection/

California Senate OKs supervised sites for drug users

Instead of putting opioid-users in jail, a proposal moving through the California Legislature would give them a place to inject drugs while trained staff watch them to make sure they don’t die from accidental overdoses. (AP, 23.04.2021)

https://apnews.com/article/health-government-and-politics-california-9376cd8ac6659434c54c16773235649a

Münster/Wstf. 20 Jahre Drogenkonsumraum des Vereins „Indro“ - Hilfeleistung ohne die befürchteten Nebenwirkungen 

Der Konsumraum des Drogenhilfevereins „Indro“ an der Ostseite des Bahnhofs am Bremer Platz besteht seit 20 Jahren. Die Bilanz der Verantwortlichen fällt nach zwei Jahrzehnten durchaus positiv aus. Verbunden mit einer klaren Forderung an die Politik. (Westfälische Nachrichten, 11.04.2021)

https://www.wn.de/Muenster/4400743-20-Jahre-Drogenkonsumraum-des-Vereins-Indro-Hilfeleistung-ohne-die-befuerchteten-Nebenwirkungen

Europa. Drug deaths: Can Scotland learn from Germany?

Drug consumption rooms allow addicts to use safely. In Germany, they’re common; but in Scotland — Europe’s drug death capital — progress is painfully slow. (Deutsche Welle, 18.04.2021)

https://www.dw.com/en/drug-deaths-can-scotland-learn-from-germany/a-57180070

The Impact of Supervised Consumption Services on Fentanyl-related Deaths: Lessons Learned from Alberta's Provincial Data. 

Marshall T, Abba-Aji A, Tanguay R, Greenshaw AJ. 

Can J Psychiatry. 2021 Mar 19:706743721999571. doi: 10.1177/0706743721999571. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33739168.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0706743721999571

Australien. ‘It saves lives’: Government stands firm on location of Richmond injecting room

Acting Premier James Merlino has stood by the decision to run a safe injecting room next to a primary school in Richmond after emotional parents addressed a residents’ meeting on Wednesday night. (The Age, Australien, 25.03.2021)

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/it-saves-lives-government-stands-firm-on-location-of-richmond-injecting-room-20210325-p57dxl.html

Berlin. Virtueller Rundgang durch die Birkenstube

http://harmreduction.ndc-euro2020.de/

 

USA. Will Rhode Island Be the First State to Legalize Safe Consumption Sites?

The prospect of safe consumption sites (SCS) for mitigating the United States’ historic overdose death toll has long been delayed by the federal obstruction of a Philadelphia-based organization’s bid to open the first sanctioned site. Now, hope may be found a few states over: Rhode Island, where residents are witnessing an exacerbated fatal overdose crisis amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Filter, USA, 01.03.2021)

https://filtermag.org/rhode-island-first-safe-consumption-sites/

Schottland. Medical experts call for 'safe' drug consumption rooms

Scotland should introduce "safe consumption rooms" to tackle a record number of drug deaths, senior medical professionals have said.

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) wants the Scottish and UK governments to seriously consider decriminalising drug possession. (BBC, 02.03.2021)

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-56239222

Schweiz. Churs offene Drogenszene: «Wir sind wie Ameisen» 

Im Stadtpark Chur hat sich eine offene Drogenszene etabliert. PolitikerInnen und Fachleute fordern daher einen Konsumraum, wie ihn andere Städte seit langem haben. Das wäre Sache der Kantonsregierung. Diese aber schläft seit Jahren. (WoZ – WochenZeitung, Schweiz, Nr. 08/2021 vom 25.02.2021) 

https://www.woz.ch/2108/churs-offene-drogenszene/wir-sind-wie-ameisen

UK. Peter Krykant & UK drug consumption rooms – is their time finally here?

(emerald publishing, UK, 12.02.2021)

https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/topics/healthier-lives/blog/peter-krykant-uk-drug-consumption-rooms-their-time-finally-here

Slowenien. The fight for a Drug Consumption Room in Slovenia

n Slovenia, we still don’t have official DCR. Initial ideas of opening DCR in Ljubljana date from the middle of 90s. In 2004 NGO Stigma filed an official application for opening drug consumption room to the Governmental Office for Drugs, who unfortunately did not materialise the idea at the time. (correlation-net.org, Niederlande, 03.02.2021)

https://www.correlation-net.org/the-fight-for-a-drug-consumption-room-in-slovenia/

Schottland. Scots drugs crusader upgrades mobile overdose prevention centre with new ambulance

Peter Krykant believes the more professional vehicle will be a big step towards properly funded, state-backed services. (Daily Record, Schottland, 23.01.2021)

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scots-drugs-crusader-upgrades-mobile-23369572

  1. Schottland. Drugs activist Peter Krykant won't be charged over overdose prevention van
  2. USA. Appellate Court Agrees with Government that Supervised Injection Sites are Illegal under Federal Law; Reverses District Court Ruling 
  3. Peer-assisted injection as a harm reduction measure in a supervised consumption service: a qualitative study of client experiences. 
  4. A critical narrative inquiry to understand the impacts of an overdose prevention site on the lives of site users. 
  5. Implementation and evaluation of an educational intervention for safer injection in people who inject drugs in Europe: a multi-country mixed-methods study.