Heroin clinics help users and neighbourhoods

Heroin is sometimes provided to drug addicts at medically-supervised clinics as this is thought to lessen the risk of overdose, and of picking up infections such as hepatitis C. One such initiative is the NAOMI project - the North American Opiate Medication Initiative. Researchers at the University of Montreal looked at the impact of the NAOMI project on the surrounding areas. They found no evidence of an increase in criminal acts or deviant behaviour and a decrease in the quantity of drug-injecting debris such as syringes, needle covers, spoons etc. Participants in the project reduced their consumption of illegal drugs by 70%, their criminal activity by 36% and improved their health (measured by the scores on a questionnaire) by 20%.

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090217141524.htm