A homelessness expert says decriminalising drugs would more effectively reduce risk to addicts than opening so-called "shooting galleries" for users.

As drugs deaths reach a record high, University of Kent criminal justice expert Prof Alex Stevens last week suggested dedicated safe spaces should be built in Kent, where addicts can inject heroin and smoke crack cocaine.

He said parts of the county such as Dover, Folkestone and Thanet would benefit the most from "overdose prevention centres", which would have staff on hand if something went wrong.

But Paul Todd, who works at Canterbury homelessness charity Catching Lives, says while the idea is a "beguiling and attractive prospect" he does not feel it would work.

He acknowledges such centres would give intravenous drug users a safe place to prepare and take drugs and could help reduce drug-related deaths.

But Mr Todd, who has spent 21 years working closely with homeless people – including many struggling with drug addiction – feels the scheme would pose a string of issues.

"On the face of it this has to be a positive boon, with additional positive impacts on crime reduction, the police, a lower burden to the NHS and to specialist waste collection for used paraphernalia," he said.

"But the user is unlikely to trust the space."

Mr Todd says such centres could become magnets for opportunistic drug dealers, while drug users could also be wary of being "monitored" or arrested by police.

"Police would surely not shy away from the area," he said.

"It's also likely, if properly used, that the spaces would attract a number of clients at certain times and would not be able to accommodate all at once, and so the space would be a congregation point to which the public may look askance."

Mr Todd says "one or two" centres are also unlikely to be enough in a city like Canterbury, for geographical reasons.

"As one of my clients put it, a drug user who has obtained drugs by Asda is unlikely to wait until they’ve walked to the Westgate Garden area to use their fix," he explained. "Thus rendering the project somewhat redundant at the outset.

"I am unconvinced by the viability of safe spaces like these.

"The main problems associated with drug use are not addressed anything like fully enough by what many of us who work in the sector call 'shooting galleries'."

Latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show there were 4,561 deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales in 2020 – up 3.8% from the previous year and the highest number since records began in 1993.

But Mr Todd says an "active harm reduction strategy, including the decriminalisation of drugs", is needed to effectively reduce the harm posed by drugs.

Professor Alex Stevens wants to see drug overdose prevention centres set up

"Users who can access clean and safe equipment, who can receive safe, pharmaceutically prepared doses in environments which promote wellbeing over moralising, which encourages engagement with support services and counselling to properly address the motivation to use drugs," he said.

"I am convinced that the current drug policy isn’t working and that there is no simple answer.

"Portugal has had some very interesting results in decriminalising their drug policy, with what seems to be an overall beneficial impact on society at large.

"Perhaps we need to start our reaction to drugs and drug use from scratch."

In 2000, Portugal decriminalised use and possession of all drugs in a way that moves the focus from criminal punishment to treatment.

Drugs are not freely available and they cannot legally be sold. Anyone caught with drugs in their possession can still face civil consequences, such as a fine.

Portugal’s policy does not differentiate between the type of drug, so Class A substances such as heroin are treated the same as 'softer' drugs like cannabis.