Civil Liberties Union In Hungary Calls For Drug Rooms

  • 30 Jun 2014 9:00 AM
Civil Liberties Union In Hungary Calls For Drug Rooms
Instead of stopping a needle exchange scheme, Hungary needs drug rooms where intravenous drugs can be consumed under sterile conditions, a drug policy expert of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (TASZ) said on Thursday.

Péter Sárosi said at an event marking the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking that setting up safe drug rooms could stop the appearance of “drug waste” in public areas, the proliferation of HIV and Hepatitis C and could also reduce risks of an overdose.

TASZ submitted a petition to Budapest’s 8th district, as well as to other municipalities in Budapest and around Hungary to set up safe drug consumption rooms and implement a programme to promote drug prevention. Budapest and especially the 8th district are home to thousands of intravenous drug users and the drug problem significantly worsened in recent years as a result of the appearance of designer drugs.

The Blue Point Foundation, an NGO that operates a needle and syringe programme in the 8th district, will close down in September 2014 because the local council made their activities impossible, Sárosi said.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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