Many people when they hear terms such as ‘Safe Injecting Unit’ or ‘Drug Consumption Room’ applied to Overdose Prevention Facilities will immediately jump to conclusions about what this means.
The level of debate around this issue has meant that many myths and misconceptions can arise which are then repeated and begin to take hold.
Throughout our calls for an OPF in Northern Ireland, we have sought to be as clear as possible about separating out the fact from fiction in this debate.
Overdose Prevention Facilities - What they ARE
An OPF is one of the ways of supporting the safety of the most vulnerable street drug users who are caught in the life-threatening trap of intravenous drug use and to support them in reducing harm by drugs.
A trial OPF would be a sanctioned place which offers:
Overdose Prevention Facilities - What they are NOT
A trial OPF is not a 'cosy place' to take drugs all day, every day. It is also not: