Citizen initiative | The trial of drug use rooms divided the parliament: “It’s been around for a while”

Citizen initiative from experimenting with controlled operating modes for those who use drugs shared the MPs’ views on Wednesday.

The citizens’ initiative received support from the left side of the parliamentary session hall, while among the governing parties it was clearly viewed more vehemently.

“Once upon a time we lived. Prison rooms for drug users with citizens’ funds. Now we want a legal room for criminal activity. Absolutely incomprehensible!” updated the representative of the Basic Finns in the referral discussion Kaisa Garedew.

The greens Maria Ohisalo on the other hand strongly defended the citizens’ initiative. In his opinion, it’s time for the decision-makers to stop “drug worship” and “see drug users as fellow human beings”.

“Operation rooms are concrete places where people can be guided into treatment. They can be supported to lead a crime-free life. In monitored rooms, it would be possible to prevent infections, which in the worst case could lead to death,” explained Ohisalo.

Also Sdp’s Elisa Gebhardin and Rkp Mikko Ollikainen in my opinion, drug use rooms should be tried, because the use rooms would make it possible to refer to treatment.

The Left Alliance Minja Koskela said that controlled drug use rooms are in use in many European countries and there are good experiences with them.

Päivi Räsänen (cd) Picture: Markku Ulander / Newspaper photo

Christian Democrats Päivi Räsänen in my opinion, the supporters of operating rooms exaggerate their benefits.

“There is no evidence that, for example, they reduce overdose deaths,” he said.

The center Pekka Aittakumpu emphasized, like Garedew and Räsänen, the importance of preventive educational work. He, too, was against trying the operating rooms.

“Society should in no way give the message that drug use is acceptable. Allowing utility rooms would be raising our hands in the face of problems,” said Aittakumpu.

A member of parliament from the coalition also opposed the trial of utility rooms with similar reasoning Mia Laiho.

Operating room experiment supporters and opponents shared a strong concern about the drug situation in Finland. In the speeches of several speakers, it was repeatedly mentioned that Finland is the top country in Europe in drug deaths of people under the age of 25.

Many of the speakers also reminded that in 2021 there were more drug-related deaths in Finland than ever before in the history of measurement, when almost 290 people died from drugs.

Citizen initiative was handed over to the parliament in June. It collected more than 55,000 signatures. From the referral debate, the citizens’ initiative goes to the social and health committee.

Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen (cook) said in Augustthat the drug use rooms are not included in the government program and are not on the government’s work list.

It is therefore unlikely that the citizens’ initiative would gain sufficient support in the parliament.