Drug users are to be offered free foil, used as a surface to heat up drugs like heroin, to encourage them to get help for their addiction.
New laws will allow drug treatment providers to offer the foil as part of efforts to get addicts into treatment, and to protect their health.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) made the recommendation.
Home Secretary Theresa May said mechanisms will be put in place to monitor the provision of foil.
Aluminium foil is used as a cooking surface when heating up certain drugs so they can be injected, while heroin, marijuana, cocaine and crystal meth can be smoked from it.
Health risks
The ACMD, which advises the government, said the available evidence shows that providing drug paraphernalia such as foil at treatment centres "does increase the number of individuals who engage with the services".
The idea is that addicts can use the foil to inhale heroin, rather than injecting it.
Martin Barnes, the chief executive of charity DrugScope, has welcomed the news.
He said the move does not mean foil "must or will be provided" but can be offered as part of an overall package of advice, support and treatment.
"Support that enables heroin and other drug users to reduce the risks to themselves and others can be the catalyst for engaging with treatment and support for recovery," he said.
BBC News - Drug addicts to be given foil to encourage treatment
and there was me thinking that drugs were illegal. Health risks from not using foil - no health risks from the use of illegal drugs then? What next free herion? I'd supply them all with Cif to inject, much cleaner and they only do it once.
New laws will allow drug treatment providers to offer the foil as part of efforts to get addicts into treatment, and to protect their health.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) made the recommendation.
Home Secretary Theresa May said mechanisms will be put in place to monitor the provision of foil.
Aluminium foil is used as a cooking surface when heating up certain drugs so they can be injected, while heroin, marijuana, cocaine and crystal meth can be smoked from it.
Health risks
The ACMD, which advises the government, said the available evidence shows that providing drug paraphernalia such as foil at treatment centres "does increase the number of individuals who engage with the services".
The idea is that addicts can use the foil to inhale heroin, rather than injecting it.
Martin Barnes, the chief executive of charity DrugScope, has welcomed the news.
He said the move does not mean foil "must or will be provided" but can be offered as part of an overall package of advice, support and treatment.
"Support that enables heroin and other drug users to reduce the risks to themselves and others can be the catalyst for engaging with treatment and support for recovery," he said.
BBC News - Drug addicts to be given foil to encourage treatment
and there was me thinking that drugs were illegal. Health risks from not using foil - no health risks from the use of illegal drugs then? What next free herion? I'd supply them all with Cif to inject, much cleaner and they only do it once.

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