Safe Injecting Rooms
Saturday, January 01, 2000
I have an open mind concerning "safe" injecting rooms. But I believe there is no hope of progress on this emotionally disturbing subject unless we call a spade a spade.
Up to now, society has assumed the duty of keeping the user from the drug, saving the individual from his or her own weakness. To abandon this "parental" role is a major step - which we hesitate to take.
But let's be realistic. Legal injecting rooms will inevitably lead to legalisation. Just imagine a young addict coming to the rooms pleading for a fix. Under present rules, we would have to say, "Go away and rob someone or prostitute yourself, give the money to a drug dealer, then come back and we will help you shoot up."
Such an absurdity would soon become intolerable. What we are contemplating here is legal supply - cheap, clean and correct. Yes, this would reduce crime, prostitution, disease and overdose deaths. We could even routinely offer free detox.
But we would no longer as a society be standing between people and their drugs. It would be over to the individual to save his or her own soul. Perhaps this is already how it is. Are we ready to make this move officially?
Philip O'Carroll