Definition and objectives of SCMRs

A Safer Consumption Room (SCMR) is a supervised facility where injecting drug users can consume drugs in safe and hygienic conditions, under the supervision of qualified medical and social workers. Drugs are not provided on site.
This facility is part of a public health policy, in line with the harm reduction measures that have been implemented in France for nearly thirty years. It aims to welcome the most vulnerable individuals, who are often excluded from traditional healthcare and support services.
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Location and regional coverage

The choice of location for an SCMR is based on a detailed analysis of the local context: volume of consumption, user profiles, practices, and places where people gather.
In Paris, the SCMR managed by the Gaïa association is located in the Gare du Nord district, the capital's main hub for open-air drug use. This area already benefits from numerous harm reduction measures (outreach teams, CAARUD, CSAPA, needle vending machines), but remains faced with high levels of poverty and a high concentration of injecting drug users.
In 2015, this sector alone accounted for 60% of the distribution of prevention equipment through vending machines in Paris. The population targeted by the SCMR mainly consists of poly-drug users, often homeless and in great social difficulty.

The Lariboisière consumption room

The Espace Gaïa, located within the Lariboisière hospital but accessible via a separate entrance, was inaugurated in October 2016. It complements the existing health and harm reduction services in the area.
The SCMR is supervised by a multidisciplinary team of around twenty professionals (nurses, educators, social workers, doctors, security guards), all employed by the Gaïa-Paris association, which has been operating in the neighborhood for over ten years.
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Regulated operation

The SCMR's operating framework is strictly defined by law and a ministerial decree. The main rules are as follows:
-The room does not supply any substances. Products are brought in by users and may be illegal or diverted from medical sources.
-Users must declare and show the product before consumption.
-Only one injection is allowed per session.
-The equipment provided by the center must be used.
-The injection is administered by the user themselves, under the supervision of staff.
-A rest area is available after consumption.
-Medical and social counseling may be offered.
-Access is restricted to injecting users over the age of 18.
-Agreements are in place with local services (emergency services, police, sanitation).

Coordination with the healthcare system

A medical protocol has been put in place to ensure rapid treatment for users in the event of a health problem. Depending on the case, Lariboisière Hospital takes over, either directly at the SCMR premises or via its emergency or toxicology intensive care services.
For users wishing to seek treatment, referral is possible to Fernand-Widal Hospital, in the department specializing in addiction and psychiatry, for consultations, hospitalizations, or supervised withdrawal.