ADAPT is an organisation set up, organised and run by long-term injecting opiate, cocaine, poly drug users and addicts in Bromley and SE London to give much needed practical support to long-term injecting users and other chemically dependent people. We have many local members but because there are very few groups like ours, we also have members from other parts of the country who we are encouraging to start small groups in their own areas.

We meet regularly every two weeks on the first and third Monday of each month. We lobby government for more rational drugs legislation; and challenge the stereotypes of addicts and addiction as represented by the media. We are currently lobbying for treatment for long-term injecting users to be available in all London boroughs as this is not currently the case. Our own experience of drug treatment centres, along with the harrowing testimony of many others, is evidence of the way in which the health, well being, dignity and human rights of many addicts are regularly undermined by treatment centres, which at the same time make noises about “harm reduction” and “rehabilitation”. ADAPT have carried out a survey of several clinics including BAIS in Bromley and we are now writing up the findings into a report that will be published in September.Recently, the drug service industry has tentatively stated their desire for consultation with users. We whole-heartedly agree with this but they must do more than to publish their desire for consultation in internal policy documents unseen by all but their own staff and a few others in the “industry”. If this is to be a genuine part of policy then consultation should be actively sought and should lead to involvement and negotiation. ADAPT believe that, as happens with other Health Service users, dependant drug users should be involved in the planning, development and implementation of policy and services which affect them, their lives and their families.

We will continue to campaign and lobby in opposition to these ill-considered policies. We intend to campaign at all levels to stop the punitive treatment of drug addicts and to challenge the accepted morality on drugs, to change the contradictory prescribing that exists and to empower users to fight for themselves. We started small with just three users but soon grew. We approached our local housing association for a free place to meet - you could do the same. We raised money to buy a cheap computer and began designing leaflets. We beg and borrow stationery from drug projects and the places where we work. We began by leafleting DDU’s and asking chemists and needle exchanges to give out our membership form with works. We try to keep in touch with our members, especially when they have problems with scripts, housing, benefits or the odd bill we try to help or get someone to help. We believe that user groups should cope with the daily practical problems that users have, encouraging self-help, and growing self esteem. Lobbying government about drugs policy and the Health Department and Local Health Authorities to encourage users to get involved, is only part of our work. But we are working to get drug user representatives on the local health authority drug teams / committees that make the decisions about drug policy and treatment. -You can do all that we have done. We have even met MP’s and the chair of the All Party Parliamentary group on drugs policy - you could write to him his name is Brian Iddon. Better still write to your local MP and councillors.

We contacted and now work with our local Voluntary Forum, local community health worker, the probation service, social services and many others - they were very receptive and helpful. Our Drug Action Team and Health Authority are quite helpful but they have no model of how to work with groups like ADAPT. We are breaking new ground locally but there are many other local authorities that are more receptive. Check with yours - they could be more adventurous. We have applied for funding from a local company. It is always worth approaching large local companies as they are a good source of funding.

Many areas have a local voluntary funding committee or committees (in the North West area it is your local Council for Voluntary Service) and it is useful to get involved with these as they will give advice on funding sources and advice on how to write funding applications. Most areas have a community crime group - we have joined ours and send delegates along to make contact with ‘straights’ and police. These are the people we need to get our “reasonable demands and rational arguments” across to. We organised an initiating meeting, we selected our officers and wrote our constitution. All decisions are taken at meetings and we believe that users should be involved in the activity and decision making.

We are soon to have our first AGM. We started small but now have many more members. We are in contact with many organisations and individual supporters. We hope this gives you some idea of who we are, what we are about and that it gives you some ideas. If you want more information, or want to start your own groups please contact us. We will help in any way we can so give us a ring. We know that many users get demoralised by years of the system but there really is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel. If you want your voice heard or you feel that you have had enough, work along side us to get a better deal for drug users. Especially those dependent users that are daily battered by this impersonal system.

We hope user groups will spring up in all areas to support users around the country. If interested ring, Jo at ADAPT 0181 402 7977.

Rita-Lin Boyle