CBC concerned about chemist offering methadone to drug addicts to open across the road

Messenger City: A CITY school has raised concerns about a chemist offering treatment for drug addicts that is about to open across the road.

CHRISTIAN Brothers College has raised concerns about a chemist offering treatment for drug addicts that is about to open across the road.

The Midnight Pharmacy will move from West Tce to the corner of Wakefield and Frome streets in mid April.

Drug and alcohol addicts come to the pharmacy to receive oral doses of medication, including methadone.

Christian Brothers College principal Noel Mifsud today (Thursday, March 28) wrote to parents to alert them of the chemist opening.

"We are being proactive in our consideration of any effects that this development may have on our community," he wrote.

"To date, CBC has not been consulted about this matter and we felt it would be prudent to investigate any possible associated risks related to a treatment program of this nature in such close proximity to our students."

Mr Mifsud met this afternoon with staff from the City Council, which has approved a development application for the site.

The application did not require consultation with neighbours.

After the meeting, Mr Mifsud told the City Messenger the council had assured him the drug treatment program was discreet and professionally run.

He said there was little the school could do but monitor the situation.

The school was well secured so he was not worried about addicts wandering onto the grounds.

"I'm more concerned about how parents will view this and what their response will be," he said.

"I want to make sure there's no risk to our children.

"I've had no experience of a treatment program near a school so I don't know what to expect."

Midnight Pharmacy owner Peter Angelos said he had operated without incident on West Tce near Adelaide High for 18 years, including many years directly opposite the school.

"The suggestion it should be somewhere else is objectionable," he said.

"I don't see any issue that effects a college.

"We have a role to serve the community in many ways ... as a community based pharmacy.

"We operate a very professional and closely monitored program."

Mr Angelos said all drug treatment was issued orally and in a separate room, so there was no problem with needles.

He said there were nine chemists in the city offering the same service under Drug and Alcohol Services SA's Community Pharmacy Program.

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