Setting the Scene... When BP received a request from the Danish Users Union to speak on the topic of heroin prescribing, we were more than keen to take up the invitation of visiting our peers in the North. We already knew several members of BrugerForeningen (the Danish Users Union) who were great activists from way back, and word about their evolving, expertly functioning union had been spreading for some time. (Pic L: The streets of Copenhagen)
In fact Denmark, the Danes, and in particular, the drug users of BrugerForeningen themselves, are indeed sitting very tall these days and for some time now they have quietly been writing up what has become an important chapter in the metaphoric annals of the drug user history books. For here in Copenhagen, lies one of the proudest achievements for the global drug user movement, without a doubt.
Denmark itself actually takes the shape of 406 islands, (only 78 are inhabited), physically standing out in the landscape of Northern Europe and only loosely surrounded by Sweden, Norway and Germany. Copenhagen, the Danish capital city where the User's Union is located, stands on the most populated peninsula and as a city, pulls in about 1.5million people in a country populated by about 5 million. (Pic- Denmark in relation to Europe)
Danish Drug Use
There hasn’t been a long history of drug use or trafficking in Denmark, in fact I was told that through the 40's, 50's and 60's there was virtually no illicit (or street) drug use at all. With the North sea defining Denmark to the west, on the Eastern side most of the islands are buffered by the Baltic Sea and are seated on the sea lane to the main oceans of the world. One would think that this meant very definite routes for the drug trade, but Denmark seems to have been at the extended end of the drug importation chain, rather than perched in its centre as its location could possibly suggest. The Netherlands however, sits just below Denmark and is not quite as far north, better situated then as a central point for international drug trafficking.
Nordic drug users however (particularly the Swedish), do travel to Denmark, for the treatment options as much as the drug trade, so much so than the Danish government recently fought back. Swedish addicts no longer gain unfettered access to Denmark’s methadone clinics, and must wait for up to 2 years for a place at a Swedish methadone clinic, unable to access clean needles at pharmacies (only one needle exchange in Sweden) and widely oppressed in a country that believes it can and will become entirely drug free. The Danish User Union recently took 16 Danish activists to meet their sister user union in Sweden, and they swapped information, ideas and support. BrugerForeningen took action where they saw they could and now arrange to send thousands of sterile syringes every month direct to the union, supporting the Swedish users as they continue to fight tooth and nail for more humane treatment.
Copenhagen has the feeling of a civilised city, and certainly it has that reputation. But as I was told, more than once, things are changing in Denmark. The gap between rich and poor has widened through the recent change to conservative governance and Denmarks quality social care system has seen signs of erosion.
It could be all more amazing then that lodged within the sharp ends of an unimaginative, conservative drug policy is a group of active drug users who have turned a part of Copenhagens drug culture into perhaps the best example of a drug user union in the world.
The Danish Users Union
BrugerForeningen began in the early 90’s, but it wasn’t until around 1996 that the seeds for its future were sown. A group of committed, Danish user activists, led at the front by an amazing and enterprising team leader Joergan K, set to work actively reshaping and forming the union. They were spurred on by the realization that, far more than discussion and debate, drug users had to physically show they could give something back to their communities; that in order to create a safe, useful and functioning space for the Danish drug users, they needed to show what kind of contribution such a group could make. So they very quickly became useful – to the community, to society, to each other. The doors excluding drugs users from being able to run a legitimate service for their community and their peers were blown off their hinges as BrugerForeningen began its work of creating a piece drug user activist gold!
Today, presiding over a budget of ¼ million pounds, a committed, focused and proud team of volunteers run what is arguably, the best example of a user union in the world.
Situated in bright, airy community building, BrugerForeningen occupy a large, comfortable space with a large kitchen, dining and lounge room area - all open access and kept neat as a pin. A long corridor veers off the lounge area and rooms branch off on either side at every chance. Sunny, breezy offices for the core staff to work, a room for advocacy advice and support, a room for a family worker for the friends and families of users (the only non user here), and rooms for a wide variety of activities; a fully furnished gym with massage chair for physical ailments (of which many older user suffer), a fully kitted out music room for sessions, a constantly updated cuttings and resource library, a room for film recording equipment and editing, an arts and woodwork room, complete with modern tools and drug user created artworks framed on the walls. (Pic Left: the incredible archive of drug related literature).
The User Union is also the home of JKs more recent interest, an opiate museum; glass cabinets capturing drug user paraphernalia from as far back as is possible to obtain, recording all aspects of a primarily opiate, drug culture. (If you have any objects you think could be housed, cared for and should be shown to others, please do contact the Danish User Union. (Pic L: Glass cabinets housing the opiate collection)
A large room containing chairs, flipcharts and a podium is where they offer workshops on Wednesdays to students, health professionals, users and the friends and families of users, discussing everything from drugs, drug treatment, overdose issues, shaping and challenging drug policy, hep c prevention and other health issues. This was where I was to present my speech on heroin prescribing, something the Danish government has finally decided to attempt, joining the ranks of many other countries in Europe who have gained overwhelmingly positive results from this approach. It has been through the consistent effort, the focussed campaigns, the active debate, discussion and action of the Danish user union that has ensured this is now something that the government will indeed attempt.
Users can change the face of drug strategy; if we believe that somewhere there is the will, and a way to proceed, it is possible to move mountains. In BrugerForeningen, there’s no rules about not being stoned, no one has to leave for being asleep or on the nod. People can talk about drugs all day long and no one cares. Drugs are a part of everyone’s lives and trying to deny or hide the fact is pointless. But people take a great pride in BrugerForeningen, in fact it is a sense of pride so strong, that it is almost tangible. Its reputation is jealously guarded, and for every broom that sweeps across the floors, every sponge that wipes away crumbs, is done with an immense belief and deep appreciation for the ideals held within BrugerForeningen; that active users CAN contribute something useful and important to
society, they can work together for a common goal, they can teach other professionals something essential about drug addiction, they can offer an important service for the community and are just as able to work out what they, as a group, need from a service. (Pic above right: the gym in the Users Union, another way to get ones endorphins going; Pic Right: one off the offices for the members.)
The Syringe Patrol
Nine years ago, Brugerforeningen began a Syringe Patrol. They decided to buy some equipment (bins, rubbish clamps, boots and gloves, yellow jackets with the union name and logo and the words ‘Syringe Patrol’ printed on them). They sent out flyers into the community to let people know they could ring up BrugerForeningen if they noticed any drug related litter in the area, and then went out, 3 volunteers at a time onto the street of Copenhagen. Each person does around 90 minutes, fanned out around the area where most inner city users congregate. The rubbish they pick up is street using standard: syringes, spoons, foil, bags, empty wraps etc. I did notice something rather worrying however, and this was the recent rise in crack smoking – or rather, street users cooking up their own crack using something like paint stripper, an extremely strong smelling solvent which they use to change the coke into rock for smoking. Hopefully users will rinse their rocks of this substance before smoking but I daresay many don’t, or don’t rinse enough...Nasty stuff, no doubt about it, and it will be sad to see Danish users succumb to the terrible health problems that will surely follow. The User Union has its work cut out in terms of education...(Pic_ above: Peter on Syringe Patrol, at work on the streets of Copenhagen)
These days, the Patrol has now won a contract from the council and gets £40,000 per year of unrestricted funds (to spend as they see fit), to continue the service, and this is alongside the council offering a similar service themselves. It dosent take a genius to see that the User Union members can do the job a little better, more regularly and with a eye to learn about the changes occurring in the local drug scene. It is a service any user group anywhere in the world could replicate. BrugerForeningen have a van they take out for the job, and now also have 5 scooters and bicycles. If a volunteer does the patrol regularly he or she is able to borrow a scooter to take home and use as they wish. I would like to thank the guys I went out on Patrol with, and I am really keen to try and see if we can implement such a service at home in London. It is a brilliant plan to help change the negative image of the using community, address our own litter issues, respond to community concerns, and work with the council providing a service. Brilliant! (Pic_ above R: Tom takes the van out on Syringe Patrol)
BrugerForeningen take a team building week away every year, renting a nice place by the sea and train and tackle team building subjects, an invaluable use of resources JK tells me. On computers in the lounge area, a slide show continually shows pictures of their outings and I’m sure this goes a long way towards building such a strong and vital team. I say a team, it is actually more like an extended family. Again I feel many user groups could take a leaf out here and perhaps find the finds to invest more in their teams to attain such valuable outcomes.
Dinner comes around every nite at 7pm and the food is bought and cooked by users. Every single night we were fed a really delicious healthy meal, except for one night where we went out for a sightseeing afternoon and dinner in a restaurant in Christiania. (Pic R: a massive, fully functioning kitchen serving up some wicked meals!)
I bundled into the van with everyone and we all took off on a sightseeing tour of Copenhagen. Everyone was filling me in with all the historical news about Denmark, pointing out the very unusual architecture and Denmark’s ability to insert the more modern building right alongside the old and of course, the monarchy's role and its place in the heart of Danes.
Christiania
http://cid-0f004edca3aae43b.spaces.live.com/photos/cns!F004EDCA3AAE43B!1058/ (This is a link to the photos from our sightseeing day out; JK took pics of the Users Union, Copenhagen city, Christiania, and the gang!
Christiania was fascinating. It began as a protest against slums and a lack of housing, so in the 60’s a group of people moved in to a grassy spot in Copenhagen’s old abandoned military area and began to build their own huts. There was a lack of affordable housing in Copenhagen and by the early 70’s the hippy, squatters and anarchist movement had moved in. Although Christiania has since established semi-legal status as an independent community it is regularly the source of debate and constant attempts at ‘normalization’ by the government, particularly as it now stands on such valuable ground. I was fortunate enough to have one of Christiania’s first residents sitting right next to me in the van and I heard all about their early year struggles. (Thanks Stin!). Because there were no rules, particularly in the beginning, when people realized there was little consequence to their actions, it became a case of the strongest survived. Stin stayed for 10 years but grew tired of the struggle. It became lawless and he grows dark at the inference that it was a peaceable hippy community. No doubt Christiania has had its moments as a peaceable community, but it’s also had some questionable approaches to societal issues. For example, although Christiana had begun offering a home to drug dependent people who were forced out of normal society, by the mid 70’s after overdoses, thefts and a very visible increase in numbers becoming addicted to heroin, the residents gave the users and pushers an ultimatum; either give up drugs or go into rehab, or leave. And for 40 days and nights the residents patrolled the area, evicting anyone who wasn’t prepared to give up heroin use. Today, there has continued a thriving hash and smoke trade, but ‘hard drugs’ are no longer permitted. However, attempts by the Danish User Union to support the local Cannabis organisation in Christiania in their efforts to change the laws has met with some reticence. There seems to be little will coming from Christianias hash smokers, despite the huge amount of trade it creates inside the commune.
However, residents do pay tax, have set rules, and try and live out their lives outside the system. Yet as each year passes it seems the Danish government grows ever closer in an effort to encircle Christiania and impose capitalism on its residents and the land. I will watch what happens from the UK, along with the 800 residents and 500 children that currently live inside the commune of Christiania.
My experince and visit to BF was inspirational. I was welcomed like one of the gang and made to feel so at home, I was really quite sad to leave. I would have been totally miserable had I not been so inspired to inject some of BFs energy into our own organisation back in the UK. BP is putting on a memorial day for those who have died as a result of drugs or alcohol on the international day of remembrance - July 21st, following in the footsteps of BF who hold one each year. If anyone would like to get involved or offer support, please do get in touch with us at BP.
(Pic R: The Danish Drug Users Memorial, a plaque and a paradise apple tree sits in the centre of a using area, the scene of many overdoses).
Although there was perhaps a lack of new and younger heroin users and injectors attending BF, I don't think that really matters. Older users are often the most isolated of all users, usually suffering the most health problems. If BF can provide a safe and functioning space, that feels like an extended family and at the same time manages to lobby, campaign, agitate and activate, then who are we to insist that they must open their doors even wider? It can be an extremely complex effort balancing such an organisation, especially one with no paid staff (except one) - all which means the investment into the volunteers must be enough to sustain and maintain a volunteers belief, respect, and feeling to keep coming back. No mean feat. BF manage to do this, and do it well. It isn't possible for an organisation to be all things to everyone, but BF manages to be most things to many, being as memorable to those members as well.
I would just like to thank everyone who made me feel so at home at BF, JK, Eva, Tom, John, Per, Brian, Eric, Ivan, the girls, Peter, Rose, Nana - everyone, I'm sending you all big hugz and kisses and look forward to coming back again one day soon. Much love Erin xxx
