Senior doctors, public health specialists, drug experts and health charities want the government to approve trials of “overdose prevention centres” (OPCs) to cut Britain’s soaring toll of drug deaths. “Urgent action is needed to tackle the spiralling rates of drug deaths across the UK. Drug deaths are avoidable and it is unacceptable that we see evidence-based actions to prevent harm such as OPCs go unutilised in the UK,” the statement says. Its chair, the Conservative MP Crispin Blunt, said: “The international evidence is overwhelming that public health and public safety are advanced by the existence of these overdose prevention centres. The experience, together with trying to help other traumatised drug users sent him back into drug-taking after 11 years.

Source: The Guardian December 13, 2021 05:17 UTC