Source: Stuttgarter Nachrichten Pubdate: 26 Nov 98 Website: http://www.stuttgarter-nachrichten.de Copyright: 1998 Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Germany Translator: Pat Dolan 600 SIGNATURES FOR HEROIN TRIAL Under the rubric of the "Lobby for the Addicted", doctors, judges, sociologists and spiritual advisers are again exerting pressure. On Wednesday, 11/25/98, a list of 600 signatures was handed in to the municipal council demanding medically necessary injection rooms and the distribution of prescribed heroin. The "Stuttgart Resolution" has cleared the way of obstacles for new drug policies. There is still opposition to be overcome, headed by federal social affairs minister Friedhelm Repnik(CDU). But, as addiction specialist Dr. Frank Matschinski confirmed, "Opiate distribution and injection will come, but not creeping in through the back door as was the case with synthetic drugs. That must not happen again, otherwise, if we don't make aggressive preparations for the measures to be taken, things could turn chaotic." What we have to be concerned about, he said, is the development of a "grey market" such as developed around the distribution of codein. "Methadone distribution also has its problems when it is not accompanied by appropriate psycho-social support." - --- Checked-by: Richard Lake