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Survey of Drug Consumption Rooms: Service Delivery and Perceived Public Health and Amenity Impact

NCJ Number
211304
Journal
Drug and Alcohol Review Volume: 24 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2005 Pages: 21-24
Author(s)
Jo Kimber; Kate Dolan; Alex Wodak
Date Published
January 2005
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This study investigated the nature of service delivery and the perceived public health and amenity impact of drug consumption rooms (DCRs).
Abstract
DCRs are supervised or safe injecting rooms that have operated in Europe since the early 1970s. Their purpose is to reduce the public nuisance related to injection drug use and to reduce heroin-related overdose. While their proximity to health care also reduces disease and makes drug treatment more accessible, critics contend that DCRs condone drug use. Scant English language research exists concerning DCRs; the purpose of this study was to analyze the service delivery and perceived public health and amenity impact of DCRs so that three Australian jurisdictions could determine whether to implement trial DCRs. Surveys were mailed to 39 DCRs in the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain during 1999 and 2000; the rate of nonfatal overdose at each DCR was estimated. The 14 responding DCRs reported a professional staff and the provision of low threshold services, including health, psych-social, drug treatment, and welfare services and referrals. There were no fatal overdoses at any of the surveyed DCRs and respondents reported perceived reductions in drug-related risk taking behaviors. The DCRs thus appeared to achieve their goals with few negative consequences. The cost effectiveness of DCRs deserves investigation. Table, references