Dumbarton campaigner hits out at drugs kit

Jul 3 2009 by Marc McLean, Lennox Herald (main ed)

AN anti-drugs campaigner has warned that overdose numbers could rocket in the area following the introduction of free “one hit kits” for heroin addicts.

Boots in Dumbarton’s High Street is dishing out the packages which contain 20 needles, spoons, swabs and citric acid to prepare heroin.

Health chiefs argue that the kits are a harm reduction approach, however, Helen Mackenzie, secretary of Families United Support Group, insists it blatantly promotes taking the killer class A drug and will further increase West Dunbartonshire’s high drug death rate.

Helen said: “Without a doubt this will increase the numbers of people taking an overdose.

“These ‘one hit kits’ are also going to have an impact on the younger generation as I believe that’s who they are aimed at. The name has got a swing to it and will be attractive to teenagers who have been dabbling in drugs.”

She added: “The people who decided to introduce this initiative obviously have no idea what it is like to see their son or daughter dying from heroin addiction.

“How can they have a health warning on a pack of cigarettes but not on this – full of syringes and drug-taking material? These kits have every single thing an addict needs, except the heroin.”

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde defended the kits, which were introduced in February.

Carole Hunter, lead pharmacist in the Addictions Partnership, said: “There are more than 50,000 people with hepatitis C across Scotland and 95 per cent became infected through injecting drug use.

“Needle exchange has been hugely effective in reducing HIV cross-infection and the one hit kits are designed to deliver similar reductions in the spread of hepatitis C.”

Paul Bennet, standards director for Boots, added: “This service takes a harm reduction approach to drug use and aims to reduce the transmission of blood-borne viruses.”

Helen hit back: “How can it be harm reduction when addicts lose their limbs, suffer blood clots, and take overdoses after injecting heroin? Putting an intravenous needle into your body with heroin is playing Russian roulette.

“They may argue that this is harm reduction but I will challenge pharmacists, health professionals and the health secretary on that.”

Helen has written to Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon on the issue, as well as Scottish Conservatives leader Annabel Goldie, as the Tories are pushing for a radical rethink on tackling drug addiction.