Minister, the parties support controlled drug room investigation | News
According to the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare (THL), drug overdose deaths have increased in recent years.
Minister of Family and Social Affairs Aki Lindén has expressed support for a trial of supervised drug consumption facilities aimed at preventing overdoses.
Drug use rooms have become common in other parts of the world, but they are currently not available in Finland.
The rooms could be put into use in each municipality at a time, such as in Helsinki, Linden told Yle.
The Greens, the Left Alliance and the Swedish People’s Party (SPP) have also officially expressed their intention to support such a system.
Lindén said that he will make an official presentation to the social and health working group this month, which will require an explanation of the legislative processes required to implement the concept.
The actual implementation of the lawsuit is in the hands of the next government, as the parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held next spring.
“However, we can start preparations now,” Lindén said.
Support for tweeting from different parties
Lindén had previously expressed skepticism in the direction of the concept by saying that instead the focus should be on prevention, access to treatment and increasing cooperation between authorities.
“I belong to the generation that remembers how in the early 60s large quantities of drugs arrived in Finland. I remember the very effective and powerful prevention efforts,” Lindén told Yle.
At the same time, “we must never judge a person in trouble,” Lindén added.
Also advocate of drug room research, Minister of Social Affairs and Health Hanna Sarkkinen (left), thanked Minister Lindén for the support twitter (you switch to another service).
“The Left Alliance supports the creation of legislation that enables the introduction of operating rooms. The goal is to reduce drug deaths. We strongly support Minister Linden’s intention to start an investigation. It is great that things are moving forward now,” he wrote.
Chairman of the Swedish parliamentary group, Anders Adlercreutz also told Yle that the SPP considers Lindén’s proposal acceptable and added that the party supported the experiment of drug rooms.