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Speedballs 2006
Following an alert about an unusually high number of cases of HIV among the local population of homeless injectors, we conducted research in Manchester among clients of our needle exchange. (The research found that although the official figure of rough sleepers was just seven, our estimate was that up to 400 of our clients were sleeping rough. The research also found that this population were now routinely injecting ‘speedballs’, in this case a mixture of ’crack’ cocaine and heroin.
The research led to the ‘Speedballs’ leaflet and was conducted by Dr Russell Newcombe and paid for out of the department’s own resources. The issue of the official figure of seven ‘rough sleepers’ was seen as too politically embarrassing for anybody to consider funding.
I designed and wrote the leaflet, which was originally funded by the comedian Johnny Vegas, and the cast and crew of the TV show ‘Ideal’ a situation comedy about a cannabis dealer. I think that is what you call ironic or poetic or something.
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