Crisis-hit Greece sets up first 'drug consumption' centre

Greece has set up its first "drug consumption" room to contain a surge of infectious diseases among drug addicts in the crisis-hit country, Greece's Organisation Against Drugs, OKANA, said on Monday. Following similar projects in Western Europe, Canada and Australia, the center lets users inject drugs they bring themselves, under medical supervision, and has been visited by more than 200 addicts since it was set up in October. "Demand is increasing day after day and we believe that very soon we may need more facilities in other parts of the city," said Sakis Papaconstantinou, the head of OKANA which runs the center. Greece has slashed health spending as part of austerity measures prescribed by international lenders in exchange for funds that have helped it stay afloat.



via Health News Headlines - Yahoo! News http://news.yahoo.com/crisis-hit-greece-sets-first-drug-consumption-centre-194843118.html