Oslo City Council Recommends to Smoke Heroin | Health

29.07.2010 - Oslo

Oslo City Council Recommends to Smoke Heroin

City Council of Oslo will distribute free heroin smoking equipment for drug addicts. The proposal aims to prevent more serious damages of injection.

Photo : Hendrike (2001) | Everyday, thousands of clean needles are distributed to addicts in Oslo. In the previous days, it was speculated that Norway might follow Denmark where free heroin distribution has been started in spring.

According to article published on TV2's website, the authorities prepares to adopt the proposal as many users struggle both with serious infections and diseases caused by unclean habits. Overdose figures in Norway has also been reported high in recent years. City Council believes the smoking of heroin can reduce the overdose risk among the addicts.

The website also reported that Chairman of the Society for Human Narcotica Politics , Arild Knutsen - who used to be a heroin addict for years, supported the city council's proposal. In the article, Knutsen stated that the way of preparing heroin for injection poses deathly effects on health. He also agreed that smoking heroin is safer than injecting it.

The proposed smoking accessories for heroin is discussed in the council , and local distribution will not be able to start before the autumn.