Paris drug room plan ruled illegal
Court says much-contested ‘shooting gallery’ breaks the law as all drug use is banned under 1970 law
PLANS for a “shooting gallery” for drug addicts near Gare du Nord in Paris have been postponed after the Conseil d'Etat said the project could not go ahead as it was illegal and broke the 1970 law banning drug use.
Paris deputy mayor Anne Hidalgo, who is standing in next year’s mayoral elections, said the Conseil d'Etat, France’s highest administrative court, had ruled that the shooting gallery needed parliamentary authorisation and could not go ahead without a law being passed. It recommended that the government include such drug rooms in a new law.
The city council approved the plan in July despite opposition from right-wing councillors and local residents. It would have opened a room staffed by medical personnel in Boulevard de la Chapelle in the 10th arrondissement next month.
The Health Ministry said after the decision that it would work with Paris officials to get legal authorisation for the drug room, but Ms Hidalgo said it would not be possible to go ahead before the elections.
She and health officials have said the drug room was needed for public health reasons: to allow drug users to get clean needles and use them in safe conditions - and to stop users “shooting up” in view of other people and dumping syringes in the street.
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