PHOTO ESSAY –

Sept. 25, 2023  – Despite his heavy drug use and history of physical illness, he was able to survive on his body partly thanks to Denmark’s healthcare system, which provides several services to people with addiction.

In 2012, the country introduced five drug consumption rooms, specialised clinics where people can receive injections safely and under medical supervision. A 2016 evaluation of the programme found that patients were “predominantly satisfied with the facilities” and “experienced a sense of social acceptance while inside”. Pedersen was a patient of one of these clinics. Everyday, the nurses gave him two doses of heroin and helped him resolve day-to-day problems. “He had his own flat and received financial aid every time he got sick,” Hørlyck says. “The goal in all of this was to give Jørgen and the others the chance to free themselves from the drugs.” 

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