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In this podcast, the hosts discuss Liverpool's heroin epidemic in the 1980s and the efforts to combat drug addiction. They explore the controversy surrounding the needle exchange program and highlight the importance of harm reduction and safe spaces for drug users. The episode also includes information about the Criminal podcast's tour and membership program.
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Quick takeaways
- Liverpool's needle exchange program successfully prevented an HIV epidemic among injecting drug users and earned international recognition as a model for harm reduction.
- The decline in support for harm reduction initiatives in Liverpool, driven by conservative policies and changing political landscapes, negatively impacted drug services and led to an increase in drug-related deaths.
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A Revolution in Harm Reduction: Liverpool's Needle Exchange
In the late 1980s, Liverpool became home to the first needle exchange program in the UK, aimed at reducing the spread of HIV among drug users. Operated by Alan Perry and his team, the program offered clean needles and support to injecting drug users, despite facing opposition from the local government and certain community groups. The program proved successful in preventing an HIV epidemic in Liverpool and earned international recognition as a model for harm reduction. However, in the 1990s, as conservative policies gained momentum, support for the needle exchange dwindled, leading to a decline in drug services and a rise in drug-related deaths in the region.
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