Thread by @SteviesTweetz

1. I've never met anyone "against" #naloxone or #SafeConsumptionRooms. No one is "against" saving lives, bit of a shit defense to folk raising questions tbh. I for one feel we need them as gateways into proper treatment - as neither can be called or is an alternative to that

2. Coming out defensively seems to be the fall back for anyone in that field who is asked a question on it or who in some way feels challenged

What I am against is the circus it has become, & the gravy train.

3. Since the pilot that was run in Glasgow for a short while it has all become about the £. To be clear, the folk you see out there arent offering to do this all out the goodness of their hearts, £ spent already, & projected to be, is in the millions.

4. We are talking some serious contracts here, especially if they are placed in localities where they might be needed, you know - where folk are actually dying

In naloxone, everyone knows its benefits, I've had it 3 times & so would never dispute that -

5. but i seen an article last week. Guy given naloxone FIVE TIMES & THEN he was put on buvidal? Why is the fuck is no one asking why it took 5 times? Would we only offer a heart attack victim real help after 5 shots of a defibrillator?

6. There in lies one of my issues with the current naloxone roll out. That on its own, with no immediate route to help, is just recycling folk until the inevitable happens - I have loads of these examples too

On #OPCs or #DCRs (whatever is decided at the time).

7. I've no issue, was fully supportive of the Glasgow one when it was here & supportive in the recent consultation. But will they make any real dent in the Drug death figures if placed in the centre of Glasgow or Dundee etc? No. The streets are not where people are dying

8. When you look at where folk are dying & why you'll see why I say this. This isn't a country where rough sleeping injecting drug users is as big an issue as the cities used in the studies - far from it. Does public injecting happen, yes, is it unsafe, yes, are folk dying, no.

9. Check the stats if no one believes me

In fact I cant recall the last time someone died outside in either city due to injecting drugs. I can remember 3, even then only 1 was drug related. People are dying alone, in accommodation,

10. & are alarmingly dying at a high rate due to #benzos - a drug that's half life would mean they would need to sit around for a while until danger passes, possibly a few hours. I actually know very few who would even use one. We would need them in every locality,

11. possibly even health centres etc, before they would even be close to helping the DRD crisis. Are they safe, sterile etc - yes & that's great. For those who choose to use them.

But there's the same issue as stated with the #naloxone roll out. Access to treatment.

12. In reality that won't happen with current provisions. Similar as to how it doesn't happen with near fatal overdoses at present either. Folk are routinely just sent away & told to wait for an appointment, at best.

13. They are then leaving & doing it again, over & over until most will just die. Folk can shout about how theirs will be a "whole system" approach but in reality they have no control over that

The fact the Minister used powers to force the #MATStandards tells you everything.

14. The fact 7 LAs report not referring to #rehab tells you more. The system is broken & won't be fixed by naloxone & OPCs - it's it okay to be angry about that without being accused of being "against" them?

15. These issues raised are not the same as being accused of "being against". Its raising real practical concerns that what is currently being suggested is a stickin plaster at best. We need massive investment across the sector, across all treatment options, to make these work.