Kerre Woodham: I can't see harm in overdose prevention centre trials

According to the New Zealand Drug Foundation, the introduction of an overdose prevention centre would reduce harm and save lives by shifting drug use of city streets and alleyways and into a safe, medically supervised setting.

This would go alongside basic health, harm reduction and support services. It's not a new idea, it's just a new idea for New Zealand. 

The Foundation's executive director, Sarah Helm, called on the Government to support a proposal for a three-year pilot of the service in Auckland CBD. 

She says at the moment we are turning a blind eye to overdoses and drug harm occurring amongst our most vulnerable in Auckland, and particularly amongst those who are homeless. 

She says synthetic cannabinoids, which caused at least 51 deaths between 2016 and 2020, are among the drugs favoured by this community, and although there has reportedly been a reduction in synthetic cannabinoid use recently, the drug market changes rapidly. 

And, she says if fentanyl arrives on our shores, international evidence says this community, particularly the homeless, is likely to be impacted the most heavily and at the moment we have very few overdose prevention measures in place. 

The Drug Foundation says the proposed pilot needs government backing because our laws are outdated and get in the way of new health-based initiatives. 

If police resources, health resources aren't being diverted to drug overdose crises, that surely has to be a good thing.

If there is overseas research that backs a centre, which shows that more people are likely to be engaged in it because they trust the people there, they're more likely to be engaged in ways of getting off drugs, getting off the streets. 

Again, surely that has to be a good thing. Why wouldn't you give it a three-year pilot? 

It has a track record. If it's not working, yeah, stop it. Where's the harm? 

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