Heroin on NHS plans to go before council

A specialist clinic could be established in the north-east to treat addicts by injecting them with a pure form of the drug.

Drug addicts could be prescribed heroin on the NHS under new proposals being considered by Aberdeen councillors.

The radical plans would see a specialist clinic established in the north-east to treat addicts by injecting them with a pure form of the drug. Supporters claim the scheme is a solution to what they say is a failing methadone programme.

However, critics argue effectively prescribing free heroin is not the answer. The proposals have been put forward by Aberdeen City Council’s Social Work Convenor, Jim Kiddie who claims similar trials carried out in England and parts of Europe have proved successful.

One trial clinic in Germany found patients treated with heroin stayed in treatment longer, had a lower drop out rate and overall better health than those on the heroin substitute – methadone. It is estimated Aberdeen is home to around 3,000 hard drug users – up to 1,800 being treated with methadone.

Cllr Kiddie says the current treatment is not working

“It costs around £50,000 a year to feed a heroin habit. Now, where do people get that money? They get it from mugging people in Aberdeen – mugging elderly people and that’s what I want to get away from. But critics say injecting addicts with diamorphine, a pure form of the drug, would be too costly

Pharmacist Stuart Notman said: “All the studies that have been performed so far in different parts of the world have had ‘add-on therapies’ such as cognitive behavioural therapy, psychotherapy – a whole raft of measures have been added on to the clinic itself.

Methadone users in Aberdeen are similarly sceptical about the scheme. One, Graham Gribble said: “No, you’d just carry on topping up. When you’re on heroin you can never get enough, it’s the worst thing I ever did.

An other user Robert Lawson said: “Methadone has actually saved my life to be honest. If I didn’t get on this programme, I’d be dead by now”. Thursday will be the second time the plans have gone before Aberdeen City Council.

Last December the a decision on the proposals were shelved while more research was conducted into the scheme.

Even if the local authority backs them, it would then need to convince the Scottish Government that a clinic is the best way to tackle heroin abuse in Scotland.