Transcript Drug consumption rooms in practice

Experiences of
Drug Consumption Rooms
in Europe
Cedric Charvet
Coordinator DCR
www.deregenboog.org
[email protected]
INTRODUCTION
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Drug Consumption Room definition
DCR in context / Drug policies
DCR goals
Pros and Cons of DCR
From Theory to Practice
DCR around the world
The Dutch experience
DCR standards
DCR styles / examples of DCR
Set up a DCR
DCR approach – a job like no other
Conclusion
DEFINITION
Drug Consumption Rooms (DCRs) are
professionally supervised healthcare facilities
where drug users can use drugs in safer and
more hygienic conditions.
STREET USE, Switzerland 1986
Drug Consumption Room , Luxemburg 2003
Drug Consumption Rooms in context
Drug policies; the 4 pillars:
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Prevention
Repression
Therapy
Harm Reduction → Drug Consumption Rooms
(DCR)
DCR GOALS
• DCRs aim to establish contact with difficult-to-reach
populations of drug users
• DCRs provide an environment for more hygienic drug
use; reduce morbidity and mortality risks associated with
drug use
• DCRs promote drug users’ access to other social, health
and drug treatment services.
• DCRs also aim to reduce public drug use and public
nuisances.
PROS AND CONS
PROS
• decrease in high-risk drug use;
• decrease in morbidity and mortality among the target
population;
• increase in uptake of health and social care including drug
treatment;
• reduction in public drug use and neighborhood nuisance.
CONS
• may encourage increased drug use or even initiate new users;
• make drug use more acceptable and comfortable, delaying
initiation to treatment;
• increase public order problems by attracting drug users and
drug dealers from other areas.
(Based on the EMCDDA Report/European Monitoring Centre on
Drugs and Drug Addiction/www.emcdda.europa.eu)
The Ins and Outs of Harm Reduction
FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE
Because DCRs are facilities where drug users can
use drugs in safer and more hygienic conditions,
let’s talk about it.
DRUGS
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SAFETY
HYGIENE
STRESS FREE
DCRs AROUND THE WORLD
Existing DCRs = Switzerland , Netherlands, Germany,
Spain, Luxemburg, Norway, Australia, Canada
Since 1986, more then 90 DCRs have been set up
around the world, including 36 European cities
Portugal, France, Romania, Finland could be next
THE DUTCH EXPERIENCE
AMOC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, before 2007
AMOC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, after 2007
DCR STANDARDS
Basic criteria’s to access DCR
• Being homeless
• Being hard drug user for 5 years or more
• Being 18 years of age
• Understanding and agreeing on the DCR policies
Not allowed in the DCR (but very difficult to apply)
• Stress
• Inappropriate and/or Dangerous behaviors
• Illegal activities
DCR STYLE
Social DCR
Medical DCR
Injection Site
Smoking Room
Mobile DCR
Etc.
Examples of DCRs
Bern, Switzerland
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Geneva, Switzerland
Sidney, Australia
Luxemburg
Bilbao, Spain
SET UP A DCR
KNOW YOUR SCENE
LISTEN TO THE NEEDS OF THE CLIENTS
GATHER KNOWLEDGE
ESTABLISH PARTNERSHIPS
HUMANISTIC APPROACH
Allow users space and time to use and think
Use without pressure
Use without judgment
Use without stress (Rat Park)
Reward responsible use
Allow users to be
CONCLUSION
• Think globally / Act locally
• Keep it simple (hygiene / safety / stress free)
• Listen to the local drug scene
• Every material given to users is an act of prevention
• Every service given by DCR is to implement the quality of
life of users and the society as a whole
Thank you for your
attention!
For further information feel free to contact me:
• [email protected]
• www.deregenboog.org
SOURCES
Emcdda , European report on Drug Consumption Rooms, 2004, Dagmar
Hedrich.
Emcdda, Harm Reduction Monograph, 2010, Chapter 11: Drug consumption
facilities in Europe and beyond Dagmar Hedrich, Thomas Kerr and Françoise
Dubois-Arber.
Indcr, "Setting up a drug consumption room - Legal issues", 2010. Paper F of
the Independent Working Group on Drug Consumption Rooms, offers
evidence supporting their Report. Forston, R Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Correlation Project, “Drug Consumption Rooms. Evidence and Practice”,
2012. Schatz, E. & Nougier, M. London,International Drug policy Consortium.
De Regenboog Groep, DCR, Jubileum 35 years, 2011, Ins and Outs of Harm
Reduction Board.