INJECTING ROOMS SHOW THAT WE CARE

CARRIE MAY (Letters, 5 June) is worried that a safe injecting room
“sends the wrong message”. On the contrary, I would suggest that it
sends the positive message that our community is a caring and
compassionate one that will help its members, however tragic their
circumstances may be.

A safe injecting room is not intended as an alternative to detox
units. The whole point is that addicts can be supervised by
professionals so that they can shoot up with less danger of
overdosing. They may then be persuaded to seek treatment.

Many opponents of the proposal, e.g. Howard and Osborne, claim to be
Christians. I always understood that Christ’s message was one of love,
compassion, charity and forgiveness. I detect none of these qualities
in their hard-line attitude.

By trying to stop the establishment of safe injecting rooms, the
reality is that they are condemning some addicts to a lonely death in
a drain or back-street alley. What message do they think this sends?

PAUL WRIGHT,
Mawson