Call for designated safe injecting zones in city

A COMMUNITY campaigner believes Dundee is losing its war on drugs.

Stella Carrington, who has analysed the impact of substance abuse, believes efforts to tackle the issue are progressing “at a snail’s pace”.

The former Dundee Citizen of the Year and current chairwoman of Charleston Residents’ Association accused local and national government of “having their heads in the sand”.

She believes that a move to a European model of supervised injecting areas is the way ahead.

“Things are moving so slowly,” said Stella. “I found a needle in my garden quite recently. Drugs are still an ongoing curse on the area.

“We need designated safe injecting zones.

“That might save lives but it would also prevent needles being left lying around.

“We need to try to work with other cities and see what they are doing.”

Stella believes giving people space where they can legally and safely consume drugs in a supervised area is the way to start tackling drug abuse and drug-related crime.

Stella said: “Things are improving, but at a snail’s pace.

“If Dundee can find the money for the V&A, then why can we not find the money to help people?”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Our latest figures show that drug taking among adults is falling and that levels of drug use among young people remains low.

“We have invested more than £630 million to tackle problem drug and alcohol use since 2008 and have a national drugs strategy to make sure recovery is a reality for individuals, families and communities.

“We have no plans to introduce drug consumption rooms.”

Stella Carrington