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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Syringe dispensing machine debate | Syringe dispensing machine debate |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Police plans to install a needle vending machine by one of its stations are being debated by councillors. | |
| North Wales Police wants to install the £10,000 machine outside its Colwyn Bay station, Conwy, so it can be used by registered drug addicts. | North Wales Police wants to install the £10,000 machine outside its Colwyn Bay station, Conwy, so it can be used by registered drug addicts. |
| Drug users would get special tokens to collect clean needles. | Drug users would get special tokens to collect clean needles. |
| But a drug treatment charity in the town is calling for the idea to be scrapped, saying any such scheme should be properly supervised. | But a drug treatment charity in the town is calling for the idea to be scrapped, saying any such scheme should be properly supervised. |
| The charity has put an advert in a local newspaper to condemn the proposed scheme. | The charity has put an advert in a local newspaper to condemn the proposed scheme. |
| North Wales Police chief constable Richard Brunstrom has said the scheme would help drug addicts by ensuring drug users do not need to share dirty needles. | North Wales Police chief constable Richard Brunstrom has said the scheme would help drug addicts by ensuring drug users do not need to share dirty needles. |
| A needle vending machine is not the answer because it removes the human contact that the addict needs Danie Strydom, Touchstones12 | A needle vending machine is not the answer because it removes the human contact that the addict needs Danie Strydom, Touchstones12 |
| Pharmacies and hospitals in many areas of north Wales already hand out clean needles, but the service does not exist in the Colwyn Bay area. | Pharmacies and hospitals in many areas of north Wales already hand out clean needles, but the service does not exist in the Colwyn Bay area. |
| Addicts would use tokens provided by rehabilitation agencies in the area. | Addicts would use tokens provided by rehabilitation agencies in the area. |
| The vending machine needs planning approval by Conwy County Council and would become the first of its kind in Britain. | The vending machine needs planning approval by Conwy County Council and would become the first of its kind in Britain. |
| A North Wales Police sergeant was due to explain to the local authority's scrutiny committee how the system would work. | |
| 'CCTV camera' | 'CCTV camera' |
| The committee was also hearing a report from the National Public Health Service for Wales on the effectiveness of needle and syringe exchange. | |
| The service said the lack of needle exchange facilities was a "barrier" to controlling rates of infection of HIV among drug users. | The service said the lack of needle exchange facilities was a "barrier" to controlling rates of infection of HIV among drug users. |
| The machine would be sited outside the town's police station | The machine would be sited outside the town's police station |
| It read: "Pharmacies and vending machines increase the availability and probably the utilisation of sterile injecting equipment by injecting drug users." | It read: "Pharmacies and vending machines increase the availability and probably the utilisation of sterile injecting equipment by injecting drug users." |
| But Danie Strydom, director of Touchstones12, a charity which helps recovering addicts and promotes an abstinence policy, said the scheme did not provide the face-to-face contact needed when dealing with addicts. | But Danie Strydom, director of Touchstones12, a charity which helps recovering addicts and promotes an abstinence policy, said the scheme did not provide the face-to-face contact needed when dealing with addicts. |
| He said: "There would be a bin placed under a CCTV camera which would require the addict themselves to place there old needles in the bin. It's never going to happen." | He said: "There would be a bin placed under a CCTV camera which would require the addict themselves to place there old needles in the bin. It's never going to happen." |
| "A needle vending machine is not the answer because it removes the human contact that the addict needs." | "A needle vending machine is not the answer because it removes the human contact that the addict needs." |
| But Cais, another organisation which helps people with drugs and alcohol problems, is in favour of the scheme. | But Cais, another organisation which helps people with drugs and alcohol problems, is in favour of the scheme. |
| 'Pandering' | 'Pandering' |
| Business director Chris Dukes said: "Anything that is put into the community that alleviates this harm has to be a good thing. | Business director Chris Dukes said: "Anything that is put into the community that alleviates this harm has to be a good thing. |
| "We would all very much welcome the human face in being able to exchange needles but that's not the situation in Colwyn Bay." | "We would all very much welcome the human face in being able to exchange needles but that's not the situation in Colwyn Bay." |
| Councillor Darren Millar, chair of of the local authority's scrutiny committee, said before the meeting, "We mustn't be seen to be pandering to drug users or giving the impression that it is safe to legitimise the use of drugs. | |
| "I think it's important to get beyond that point of debate into why is there a problem with drugs in the local town and how can we best address it." | "I think it's important to get beyond that point of debate into why is there a problem with drugs in the local town and how can we best address it." |