The likely closure of a Support and Risk Reduction Center for Drug Users (CAARUD) has sparked a new controversy between the Mayor of Nice and his traditional opponent Patrick Allemand registers a new controversy.
But… Change of scenario for this new local political episode: The two become three with the new head of the Front National in Nice, the young Gaël Nofri, who also presents himself as an uncompromising and very lively critic.
Indeed, we must probably assume that the future will hold many more quarrels for us, regardless of the issue at hand. Political competition demands it.
Regarding drug users: what do we do with them and their problems? While it is understandable that they cause concern… they do exist nonetheless.
What to do now?
Christian Estrosi, Deputy, Mayor of Nice, President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis wishes to close one of the CAARUD in Nice:
“For several days, I have been alerted by residents of Rue Offenbach and Rue Emmanuel Philibert, about the numerous nuisances caused by the behavior of drug users who would go to the premises of the associations Entracte and SOS PSA (Prevention and Care of Addictions), which aim to provide them with help.
As Mayor, I have always ensured that Nice maintains its social dimension and a sustained policy of supporting the most fragile populations.
However, I cannot accept for these populations that this aid is provided in premises that are unsuitable and have become too cramped given the number of beneficiaries, who mostly come from other towns in the department and which has been increasing for the past 15 years.
Furthermore, I refuse for the residents to continue suffering the nuisances currently generated in terms of public health and safety.
Therefore, in agreement with the Regional Health Agency, I have decided to close the Offenbach street site as of September.
Moreover, as the situation of the Nice port premises is not satisfactory either, I have asked my services to consider a location that does not cause any nuisance to residents in order to propose the creation of a single site for the two associations, adapted for supporting these populations.
Finally, I have asked the territorial delegate of the Alpes-Maritimes of the ARS (Regional Health Agency) to kindly consider opening a second support facility for drug users in another city in the department.
Indeed, today, the city of Nice is the only city currently offering support facilities for drug users in the department.”
Patrick Allemand opposes the closure of the support center for drug users in Nice
Several times mentioned, this summer the rumor is persistent. The Mayor of Nice would like to close the support center for drug users.
I am totally opposed to this idea.
Indeed, it was thanks to the implementation of Risk Reduction (RDR) related to drug use that we were able to limit the AIDS epidemic in the mid-1990s.
To recall, at the beginning of AIDS in the Alpes-Maritimes, half of the AIDS cases were linked to intravenous drug use.
The RDR policy conducted – which includes the establishment of low-threshold receptions, “shops,” now called CAARUD with syringe exchanges – has significantly changed the situation in Nice.
Drug users now represent only 1 to 2% of new infections in the Alpes-Maritimes. It is the greatest success of prevention.
It is not conceivable to close this type of device in the 2nd most affected department in France by AIDS and in the city where the drug addiction / AIDS link has been so significant, before having set up the operation of an equivalent structure.
Currently, the Entractes CAARUD receives 80 to 90 users per day. Closing it for neighborhood problems by imagining that we will solve them would be stupidity and serious from the point of view of Public Health.
Gaël NOFRI (Head of Rassemblement Bleu Marine FN Nice):
Closure of the Offenbach street center
Once again with the announcements of the current municipality it feels like the famous children’s rhyme that makes you take three steps forward, three steps backward. So it is, for example, with the announcement of the closure of the drug users’ reception center on Offenbach street immediately followed by the promise of opening a new, larger, more complete center in the city center and… equipped with an injection room.
While we can only welcome the closure of a center that caused many nuisances for residents, users, and merchants, how not to be surprised by the inability of the Mayor and his team to take the consequences of a failure.
Because these structures are characterized by a double failure: first, far from integrating into the neighborhood, they prove to be vectors of impoverishment, insecurity, and disturbances; furthermore, everything proves that far from managing to lead the users of these centers towards detoxification and abandonment of such practices, they become regular visitors over the years…
So how to interpret the promise made of a new structure, managed by the associative world, larger -and therefore more expensive- and furthermore “enriched” with the implantation of an injection room? How to believe that the problems encountered on Offenbach street will disappear at the new site, that its residents will find satisfaction tomorrow?
Finally, should we consider that it is the role of the municipal authority to dedicate household taxation to reprehensible risk behaviors, to accompany addictions condemned by law. The argument of the necessary fight against the spread of HIV cannot justify everything, and certainly not the violation of the Law.
If reception structures are to see the light of day, it can only be in closed, medicalized settings, outside urban centers, and in a perspective of support towards total withdrawal.
By wanting to please everyone, without ever defining a clear political line and driven by an exclusively electoralist vision of his function, the Mayor of Nice once again forgets the interest of the people of Nice and the sense of his mission.
