Legal injection cabins for drug addicts are supported by a clear majority of Danes, according to a new poll. The survey of Danes from both sides of the political spectrum for newspaper Berlingske Tidende found 70 percent were in favour of the controversial idea. Last April, a similar proposal was rejected by a majority composed of Conservative, Liberal, Liberal Alliance and Danish People’s parties.
“We cannot simply let addicts die from overdoses and addiction, when we know that cabins save lives,” said Social Democratic Health Spokeswoman Sophie Haestorp. The Socialist People’s Party is also backing the cabins.
Overdoses of illegal drugs killed 239 Danes in 2008. A year later, Denmark was also named as having one of the highest narcotic mortality rates in the EU, according to a Europe-wide survey.
While the Gallup poll found most support for the injection cabins was among opposition voters by, as many as 60-65 percent of government and Danish People’s Party voters were also said to be in favour. The Danish People’s Party is still against the idea however, according to the Berlingske Tidende.
Liberal home affairs and health minister Bertel Haarder also wrote to the newspaper saying the government has no plans to change its narcotics policy, reports Politiken.
