Ilkka Lipsanen

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James had, was addicted to illegal drugs for nearly 25 years,

Sitting in one of the four cabins, which will inject at yourself in The Mirror under a bright light, James themselves with diamorphine - pharmaceutical heroin.

He was an institution in a young offenders when a cellmate gave him heroin for the First Time . James says he was told it was "like" marijuana. He had no idea he would still be addicted to opiates for More Than two decades.

Now in his early 40s, he is one of The First people in the United Kingdom heroin in a clinic. It is located in Middlesbrough, a city where the number of drug-related deaths increased by 16% by the year 2018, the highest level since 1993.

Before he joined the program, he says, he said: "listen, you sort either your head now, or you let Someone Else come in and take advantage of the opportunity. "

He takes a dose in The Morning and another in the afternoon. It is the First Time he was away from the street drugs, as addictive 1996 .

Danny Ahmed of Middlesbrough clinic

Set Up "Before using the same syringe More Than once. It ruins your arms ruins your legs," James says. "This is to clean it every single time. There is nothing added, either. You will look back on today and think, 'I can't believe what I have done to get through'. "

the injection is "an intimate act," says Danny Ahmed fundamentals of Medical practice, which is also the host of The Clinic , but the patients quickly "familiar" with the drug under supervision.

Passionate about the improvement of the "medieval Life Expectancy " for heroin users, Mr Ahmed hopes to operate his clinic, only to continue, but others will open throughout the country, the "life-changing" effects, his patients say That they have experienced.

The Middlesbrough hospital, opened in October. Diamorphine treatment has been available in Glasgow short.

Heroin in the UK

Oscar Wilde described the opium-caves", where one could buy oblivion," in his 1891 novel The picture of Dorian Gray.

After The First World War , restrictions started to be imposed under the interests of drug use by returning soldiers.

The Dangerous Drugs Act of 1920 meant That drugs, including heroin could only be distributed by licensed persons, including doctors.

Diamorphine has been prescribed to treat opiate dependence in the UK since the 1920s, although by the late 1960s, the approach of the saw doctors generally prescribe the drug for addiction has been largely abolished.

Today, a license from the Home Office is required to prescribe the drug for the treatment of addiction.

The UK is the latest country to offer heroin-assisted treatment, addicts diamorphine to inject, to present in a controlled environment with medical professionals. It was in Switzerland in the year 1994 and is also in Germany and Canada.

The end result is not the sobriety, Mr Ahmed says, is simply an option for some, but a less chaotic existence.

"The drug works, what we Hope , it helps to stabilize the people. This is The Key . It allows the people of a structure, which can then give them to explore a platform for other problems.

"For example, we had a couple of guys, the passers-by on the street, the homeless, the now stable accommodation. We have started the people to explore the Mental Health team, beginning, some of the triggers for their substance use. "

the patients in The Clinic beam on building relationships with their families after decades of interruption, and they are proud of, you have to test negative for street drugs.

they are also grateful for the "Last Chance " this treatment to them.

Julie, who is also in treatment at The Clinic , told BBC Radio Tees: "I was a thief, a big load and I was doing a lot of drugs. I don't think That would work. I can't believe how fast it worked.

"is That 100% of my Last Chance . I broke through my children's lives much, drugs, but now I'm here and I know I'm on The Right track. "

The Clinic is part-funded by Mr Coppinger with additional money from the Durham Tees Valley Community Rehabilitation Company and the T-Shirts and Wear the prisons group.

The Police and crime Commissioner described it as "a huge Step Forward ".

"This is The Right thing to do," said Mr Coppinger.

"There is strong evidence, it can save lives and reduce harm, and we can not use the with a monetary value. "

Mr Ahmed to open hopes more hospitals

It costs £12,000 to put someone through treatment for a year, The Clinic says. James and Julie were among 15 drug users, The First patient to be picked, as they were seen as so criminally annoying in Middlesbrough.

critics say, but proponents of the system say That the treatment is much cheaper than police work, such individuals, without a guarantee of heroin, to crime, to pay for street drugs.

It has been estimated by Mr Coppinger That the crimes of the 15 people The Clinic is Cleveland Police More Than £800,000 over a period of two years.

James would Wake up to make use of heroin, And Then thought of how he had enough drugs would have to last the rest of The Day .

"I would open my eyes, I would use. Then I'd run into town to steal as much as I could. in the a bag For Life , then to the door and make sure I got out the door, no matter who I had to push out of the way," he says

"I needed a minimum of £40 per day for my addiction, when I stole you from a business, it has to be the € 80 value of the share. Each and Every Day .

"I've stopped All That . I actually have the security forces had to say to me, you have noticed the difference. "

The Names of The patients have been changed.

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middlesbrough, drug use, addiction, heroin

Source of news: bbc.com