November 2015 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| 17
EndnotE
This month DDN waves ‘au revoir’ to Kayleigh, who
leaves the team after four and a half eventful
years. Known for one of the best ‘can do’ attitudes
ever witnessed, she has turned her extremely
capable hand to many different roles on the
magazine, website, social media and events – not
to mention cake-making, dog-minding and all the
other duties of a busy assistant editor.
As she heads out into the big wide world of
copywriting we wish her all the best for the future
and will miss her, as
will any of you who
had the good fortune
to meet her or be
greeted on the phone
by her cheery voice.
Kayleigh, we wish
you every happiness
in your future career.
Toodle pip Kayleigh
A DECADE OF DDN
In November 2005, FDAP’s annual conference debated
‘This house believes that there should be drug consumption
rooms in this country’.
FOR THE MOTION: Kevin Flemen, KFx
As long as we don’t have consumption rooms, people have to inject in public
areas. There are risks to the public from discarded needles and more chance
of people having fatal overdose. There’s far more chance of wounds and
infections…
The model will vary according to local need – there’s no ‘one size fits all’ –
and it’s not a panacea for solving problems. But the suggestion that this is
legalisation through the back door is utter flimflam. How many deaths per
year are we willing to have for this argument?
AGAINST THE MOTION: Peter Stoker, National Drug Prevention Alliance
Double standards flaw too much thinking in harm reduction… As guardians
of public health you must design around the worst cases, and there is too
much of concern here. The health of most of the public does not feature in
these discussions – nor for that matter, the damage to public health from
users who are not yet addicted…
We should be striving for worthwhile progress – not the variety
commented on by a Polish writer, who asked: ‘Is it progress if a cannibal uses
a knife and fork?’
VOTE RESULT: Motion carried
DDN back issues are available
to search and read online at
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
‘There are risks
to the public
from discarded
needles and more
chance of people
having fatal
overdose...’
