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Injectables and the story behind the perfect prescription
Erin O'Mara, Editor, Black Poppy Magazine and Tom Neville, Substance Misuse Advocate, CDT & SMMGP, Manchester

Erin O'Mara

Abstract
Diamorphine is easily the most controversial drug being used for opiate dependence in the world today. Eliciting fevered responses from both the 'for and against' camps, rational discussion rarely progress past the hysteria generated from the headlines 'heroin for heroin addicts'.

Erin O'Mara, writer, activist and an opiate user over decades, provides the opportunity to look behind the story, from the point of view of someone who has been prescribed diamorphine, in a range of circumstances, over many years. The session will also cover the history of diamorphine prescribing in the UK, observations and research from both here and abroad and its schitophrenic reputation amongst society the opiate using masses.

Erin hopes to unite the strands of the history, culture and personal perspective to provide a small insight into a life on 'the perfect prescription' raising some of the clear benefits and serious dilemmas that occur for prescribed, long term pharmaceutical heroin user.

In conclusion, the session aims to give the participant more to the story that lies behind the headlines - and that's straight from the horses mouth.

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Biography
Erin O'Mara is a writer and activist for issues affecting people who use drugs both here and abroad. She is passionately committed to increasing social awareness and understanding of drug related issues, as well working to improve the health and welfare of the drug using community utilising a variety of methods and models, including the writing, investigating and recording of drug culture.

Over the last decade and a half, she has written and presented on emerging and current issues to affect drug users, at conferences and meetings in the UK and abroad.

Over that time Erin has been pushing the agenda of the users right to control their own lives and their treatment choices as the field has grown and developed. She has supported the formation and evolution of drug user groups, sat on various government, independant, health authority and local steering committees and national forums, and has appeared in research and on radio, print and television numerous times.

More recently Erin has taken a closer role in developing the 2009/10's World Aids Campaign, and has been part of a group of international user activists pushing forward several agendas with the United Nations (UNAIDS/UNODC) and currently is part of the International Network of People who Use Drugs 'Communications Team'. She is also taking part in delivering training to health professionals alongside some of the best in the field today.

From her beginnings in the field raising the issues of HIV positive people - women in particular, to founding and editing the Drug Users Health and Lifestyle Magazine, Black Poppy which she still edits, Erin has gone from back room debates in inner London to presenting at the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, to the United Nations addressing discrimination, raising awareness, and celebrating drug culture. Erin plans to develop her journalistic ambitions further and will continue to pursue the projects she finds most engaging.

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Tom Neville

Abstract
Does the new drug strategy & welfare reform mean there is no place within the British drug treatment services for injectable opioid treatment?

The new British Drug Strategy & welfare reform leaning towards abstinence based treatment and we seem to be at a dangerous crossroads within the British Treatment system.  What effect will this have on those not able to gain the new strategy’s aims and who have been holding on for the rolling out of injectable opioid treatment. For the few clients that have failed on all oral treatment and have been holding on with hope that this effective form of treatment will be rolled out after the trials in England prove the same as all the other trials in the EEC.

The welfare reform has been brought out to decrease the numbers on sickness benefits because of addiction, and to get as many as possible back to work & leading a constructive live style for both themselves, family & their community by working & contributing to their community for the benefit of both their families & their community in general.

Is the end of the road for injectable treatment within the British treatment system down to the fact that the new drug strategy does not give the client the chance of a future in control of their addiction and not the addiction controlling them, giving them the same chance of leading a productive life, or denied this form of treatment and be punished by both treatment service & benefits agencies because they are not able to meet the goal by oral treatment.

How will this affect BBV transmission at a time when we are already seeing increases in HIV & HCV within both IDUs &non IDUs within the past year or two.  With restrictions on benefits will this cause new addicts to not seek treatment at all due the welfare reform?  As well as those whom are already street working to feed their addiction not seeking treatment or avoiding service because of fear of their benefits being stopped increasing BBV, STIs and IV drug infections and complications needing hospital treatment.  Alongside this comes the increase of poly drug use due to having to buy street heroin there for they are buying combos as the dealers make it cheaper & their addiction is no longer just heroin but in most crack cocaine as well.

The cross roads within the British drug treatment system seem to be a dangerous time for those who once held on with hope of the rolling out of the IOT trials.

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Biography
I have over 15 years experience of treatment settings, ranging from G.P, C.D.T, and specialist clinics.  I have been prescribed a range of medication differing from setting to setting and along the way have learnt quite a lot about about Drug Services in general and the advantages and disadvantages of all three setups.