We, the undersigned residents of Belfast and professional drug treatment workers call on the Home Secretary to enable the establishment of an Overdose Prevention Centre (OPC) or mobile unit in Belfast.

Why We Are Petitioning

Belfast has experienced the devastating impacts of problematic drug use for many years. As residents, we regularly witness drug use outside our homes and come across discarded needles and have to deal with drug-related behaviour.

Current approaches are not reaching everyone who needs support and we are tired of seeing the problem being moved on, only to reappear elsewhere. Some of the most vulnerable people in our communities continue to use drugs in unsafe environments, often alone, increasing the risk of fatal overdose and serious harm.

Evidence from over 200 OPCs around the world shows that providing a supervised health setting where people can consume previously obtained drugs under the care of trained professionals results in 

*Reducing the number of overdose deaths
*Increasing access to healthcare, mental health services and addiction treatment by problematic drug users.
*Reduced transmission of blood-borne diseases.
*Safer disposal of injecting equipment.
*Reduced public drug use and drug-related litter.

We ask the Home Secretary to:

1.Provide the permissions necessary to allow Belfast to establish a pilot Overdose Prevention Centre, just as they did for the Thistle in Glasgow.
2. Work collaboratively with Belfast City Council, NHS partners, PSNI and local communities to this end.