Don’t be fooled, it’s Trojan horse for legalisation

THE most misguided notion in the field of drug rehabilitation today is that we can help addicts by setting up heroin ‘shooting galleries’. These are clinics where the Class A drug is brought in by the user so they can self-administer under medical supervision.

In Scotland, there is a growing and vocal lobby in favour of this extraordinary policy, which amounts to tacit official support for the consumption of illegal substances.

The Lord Advocate, James Wolffe QC, ruled that such a project would break the law. In the meantime, a compromise will see addicts in Glasgow given pharmaceutical-grade heroin by the NHS, which they can consume in a city centre clinic.

Supporters of these proposals say they will rid the streets of discarded syringes, ensure addicts get access to a purer product, and give them medical back-up to guard against the risk of an overdose.

But there is a sinister agenda behind these Trojan horse projects, which are in reality a kind of vehicle for the legalisation of drugs – the goal of many calling for the establishment of ‘safer consumption rooms’.

Elsewhere, we can see that these supposedly forward-thinking ideas have proved counter-productive – yet it seems in Scotland so-called experts backing the creation of ‘shooting galleries’ are content to turn a blind eye to these cautionary lessons.

In Canada, there are lines of addicts queuing up to enter the clinics and medics admit some are so impatient for their next ‘fix’ that they inject in the streets nearby.

Overdoses are soaring in Canada despite the spread of these facilities, and the only argument their backers can offer in defence is that there are not enough of them and more need to be built.

Allowing addicts to bring their own heroin into these facilities in Scotland would be against the law.

The purpose of Vancouver’s Insite clinic was to provide a safe, clean and secure place for drug-users, and to get drug-injecting off the street – as well as to reduce the harm caused by addiction.

It was also claimed this would reduce drug deaths and risks to the community – yet clearly, it has failed to achieve those aims.

I have visited Insite and remain in contact with police and professionals who despair of the effect it has had on the community.

It is estimated that as few as 5 per cent of drug addicts attend Insite, and most others continue to inject in the streets around the facility. There were an estimated 1,400 street overdoses in the area last year.

The number of dealers led to increased public disorder in the streets around the clinic, which has been described by some observers as a ‘war zone’.

Many of the allegedly positive studies on the effectiveness of Insite were conducted by the same individuals who had lobbied for the facility in the first place.

Given the undesirable impact drugs have had on Scotland over the last decade, it is important the Scottish Government takes positive steps to increase awareness of the dangers – and stops giving encouragement to the continued use of illicit substances.

Without a determined Government effort, it is certain a move to legalisation will prove successful, and drug-related problems will worsen. The Government has a responsibility to protect its citizens and it should be motivated by the oath taken by doctors – that it should first do no harm.