Source: Dagbladet (Oslo, Norway) Contact: http://www.dagbladet.no/ Forum: http://www.dagbladet.no/cgi-bin/vis-debatt2/971018-deb-nyh-1.html Copyright: Dagbladet 1999 Pubdate: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 Translator: Lars Hedman MINISTER OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO STUDY FRENCH NARCO-POLICY Introduced in the present Norwegian narco-policy debates has of late French successes with replacing methadon with bupronorphine been mentioned. In a debate in the Storting today said the Minister of Social Services that she will visit France in the next two weeks to obtain first-hand information of the French experiences. - - After that, in consultations with the Government's Public Health Department and other authorities we shall see if similar trials should be conducted in Norway as well, said Melveit Kleppa. In the debate, after a question from John I. Alvheim (FRP) {Advancement Party, translator's note}, she noted that the Government is determined to establish concrete and flexible aids on the street-level in the Oslo region. Alvheim pointed out that over 200 heavy narcotic users died from overdoses last year. - - It can be as many, maybe more, deaths if we do not take extra-ordinary measures and apply them at the street-level in Oslo immediately, said Alvheim. Total number of drug related deaths in Norway during 1998 were 270. This compares with 177 in 1997. For the first time, as many died out side of the Oslo metropolitan area as in it, 136 to 134. Of the 270 fatalities in 1997 226 were males and 44 were women. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake