Petition in favour of Brighton Terrace Drug Treatment centre

[Bob]

A petition for those in favour of the drug treatment centre on Brighton Terrace can be found here

Just click 'edit' and add your name and rough location.

Basically the arguments in favour are:
It's in a very accessible location both from the point of view of where the drug users are and public transport - so this increases the chances of people succesfully getting treated

The police & NHS are in favour of this location and think it will reduce problems in central Brixton rather than increase them.

Nobody has any viable alternative centre.

[kea]

Originally Posted by Bob

Basically the arguments in favour are:

[Bob]

Originally Posted by kea

Sorry - fucked up the list function. Rapidly re edited now.

The key thing is that even on Brighton terrace itself the centre is likely to reduce problems - partly because there will be increased attention paid to Brighton terrace and there would be a dedicated warden from the police for Brighton Terrace.

[kea]

ah i see - sorry

[memespring]

Everyone knows there is a major problem with crack and heroin in central Brixton. As I see it there are 3 options:

1) Do nothing
2) Displace the problem into another area (mostly likely the estates)
3) Remove the demand by treating users

If this centre doesn't go ahead we are going to be saddled with one of the first two.

[memespring]

There's a printable copy here please distribute wide and far.

Apparently the planning people are meeting on Tuesday 29th November to decide its fate.

[RushcroftRoader]

Originally Posted by memespring

Everyone knows there is a major problem with crack and heroin in central Brixton. As I see it there are 3 options:

1) Do nothing
2) Displace the problem into another area (mostly likely the estates)
3) Remove the demand by treating users

If this centre doesn't go ahead we are going to be saddled with one of the first two.

I agree that a treatment centre is a very good idea and should be supported.
However drug users are going to keep heading to Brixton while the area is renown for its "softly softly" approach to drugs.
Anyone who lives in Brixton knows that turning a blnid eye to cannabis dealing leads to dealers handing out rocks of crack like they are sweeties.
I feel the priority in dealing with the problem of crack in Brixton is to to persuade the police that the softly softly approach has to go!

[tarannau]

Originally Posted by RushcroftRoader

Anyone who lives in Brixton knows that turning a blnid eye to cannabis dealing leads to dealers handing out rocks of crack like they are sweeties.
I feel the priority in dealing with the problem of crack in Brixton is to to persuade the police that the softly softly approach has to go!

Er no. I've lived in Brixton for nearly all my life and I would say that's almost entirely untrue. People don't go to a street dealer for weed and come away with a Haribo style booty bag of smack and crack.

Different market. You may still get the occasional Clapham-style drug tourist looking for weed on the streets, but they're generally a whole world apart from the more desperate unfortunates searching for smack and crack in the early hours.

[memespring]

Originally Posted by tarannau

Er no. I've lived in Brixton for nearly all my life and I would say that's almost entirely untrue. People don't go to a street dealer for weed and come away with a Haribo style booty bag of smack and crack.

Different market. You may still get the occasional Clapham-style drug tourist looking for weed on the streets, but they're generally a whole world apart from the more desperate unfortunates searching for smack and crack in the early hours.

I'd agree with that.

There is some more subtle overlap though. Some crack users do support their habit by selling weed (or what they pretend to be weed) to skunk tourists, and some dealers seem to use weed dealing as cover for crack dealing.

[maximilian ping]

what is the latest on the decision over the centre? last i can find is SLP saying Hoey was against it but the green light was about to be given on Sept 6 and then nothing..

[memespring]

Originally Posted by maximilian ping

what is the latest on the decision over the centre? last i can find is SLP saying Hoey was against it but the green light was about to be given on Sept 6 and then nothing..

Basically none of the members of the planning committee were willing to second the proposal because of a campaign against it by people on Brighton Terrace and Trinity Gardens and the lack of any concerted campaign in favor of it.

Most councilors now say they agree with the centre in principle but refuse to put their name to a site. Kate Hoey is proposing a site on Acre lane already turned down by the NHS and Lambeth Drug Action Team and, conveniently, is just outside her constituency.

So unless the centre passes at the next meeting the whole thing will be dead until long after the local elections.

More info here:

http://www.mybrixton.org/doku.php?id...eatment_centre

[maximilian ping]

fuck me. one of the shit sides of democracy. politicians, councillors too scared to put their name to anything involving that evil word D R U G S so the centre gets knocked back (i've seen on the SLAM document that this is about the 12th location attempted) and drug users have less of a chance to stop using and that means more crimes are committed by drugs users.

it's such a simple equation but no-one can see past the exaggerated folklore that all drug users are murderous burglars and muggers.

this happens all over the country on an almost weekly basis and it might be a good idea for me to write about it soon...something i've been meaning to do for a year

[Bob]

Originally Posted by maximilian ping

fuck me. one of the shit sides of democracy. politicians, councillors too scared to put their name to anything involving that evil word D R U G S so the centre gets knocked back (i've seen on the SLAM document that this is about the 12th location attempted) and drug users have less of a chance to stop using and that means more crimes are committed by drugs users.

One of the good sides of democracy is that if enough of us sign the petition and generally put pressure on the councillors then maybe they'll vote the right way. So get on mybrixton.org and sign the petition - and email a few mates to do so if you want to make a difference.

We have until 29th November.

[Bob]

Originally Posted by RushcroftRoader

I agree that a treatment centre is a very good idea and should be supported.
However drug users are going to keep heading to Brixton while the area is renown for its "softly softly" approach to drugs.
Anyone who lives in Brixton knows that turning a blnid eye to cannabis dealing leads to dealers handing out rocks of crack like they are sweeties.
I feel the priority in dealing with the problem of crack in Brixton is to to persuade the police that the softly softly approach has to go!

a) Welcome to the boards.

b) I'm sure you'll agree though that a drugs treatment centre can only be a good thing - so signing the petition would be a very good use of a minute of your time.

[Bob]

Over 20 people so far so going quite well. And we have a vicar.

If you've signed it and want to help more then emailing / pming Lambeth friends who might want to sign would be very helpful indeed.

[IntoStella]

I can't edit doku wiki files from my mac/outlook combo but as soon as I can get on a pc, I will sign.

[IntoStella]

WAAAAA! I tried it on a friend's PC and it comes up with

"This document has not been created yet"

Can somebody who knows my name and the street I live on please put me on there?

[nipsla]

Originally Posted by IntoStella

WAAAAA! I tried it on a friend's PC and it comes up with

"This document has not been created yet"

Can somebody who knows my name and the street I live on please put me on there?

No probs - I've done it for you.

[IntoStella]

Originally Posted by nipsla

No probs - I've done it for you.

Thanx darlin'.

Why don't we take the paper petition round the Albert when it's busy? Friday night?

We'll have to ask Pat first, though.

[Bob]

Originally Posted by IntoStella

Thanx darlin'.

Why don't we take the paper petition round the Albert when it's busy? Friday night?

We'll have to ask Pat first, though.

Good idea.

[pooka]

Just to say I know a couple of people who've told me they have added their name but they're not there. I don't think every one is techy savvy. (I'd put an instruction at the bottom of the page but someone's talen it off again!)

[Bob]

Originally Posted by pooka

Just to say I know a couple of people who've told me they have added their name but they're not there. I don't think every one is techy savvy. (I'd put an instruction at the bottom of the page but someone's talen it off again!)

You could always add them in yourself if you know their names / addresses.

Petition is growing nicely - almost at 40 people now - if people could ask friends/ colleagues/ flatmates etc. who live anywhere in Lambeth to sign that would be ideal because it will help us get far more people. Obviously Brixton is best, but the councillors who will make the decision come from all over Lambeth.

[IntoStella]

Are we going to do this in the Albert tonight then?

[Bob]

Originally Posted by IntoStella

Are we going to do this in the Albert tonight then?

I won't be around tonight - but good luck to you. I've been emailing PMing people for a few days and got a fair few people on there - so I'm feeling a bit smug.

39 people so far

[IntoStella]

Originally Posted by Bob

I won't be around tonight - but good luck to you. I've been emailing PMing people for a few days and got a fair few people on there - so I'm feeling a bit smug.

39 people so far

Hey, where are memespring and nipsla?

I wasn't volunteering to do it on my own.