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Blue / UV Toilet Lighting: Done to Deter Intravenous Drug Users?

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Anonymous

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A doctor I was talking to earlier this evening just happened to mention how the lavatories in some public places have blue (almost uv) lighting. I've noticed this sometimes - but never thought to ask anyone why.

It's to stop intravenous drug users from using these places for injecting. Apparently they cannot see their veins, to stab at, under such lighting. Makes sense.
 
Nice idea but I think it is really to kill flies - I also used to see UV units
in food shops and sleazy clubs. For some reason I've never seen
explained, it makes Tonic Water glow milkily. :eek:
 
That uv lighting shows up all the fluff on your clothes aswell,
 
They used to use UV lamps in public lavatories to sterilise the seat and bowl. (Makes you think twice about sitting in there for any length of time.)

I've also heard about using blue lighting to keep addicts from shooting up. Someone suggested it for some of the outside areas in our new building (particularly as our old building used to be covered in a carpet of used syringes each morning).

Combined with the mozzie-zapper, that's three purposes in one.
 
This Guardian story makes reference to the use of ultraviolet to deter drug users:
One option for tackling abuse would be installation of ultraviolet lighting, which would make it difficult for intravenous drug users to see well enough to inject.
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This BBC profile of artisist Mat Collishaw describes his piece ' ultraviolet blue baby' (2001) as follows:

The scene, bathed in bluish artificial light, is of a baby having its nappy changed. It is an image of innocence tainted by a sub text of drug culture - UV lights installed in inner city public toilets deter intravenous drug users who cannot find veins under them.
Click to expand...
 
UV lighting also makes white underwear glow extremely vividly through your clothes.

Spooky's not going to mention how she found that one out... :blush:
 
James Whitehead said:
Nice idea but I think it is really to kill flies - I also used to see UV units
in food shops and sleazy clubs. For some reason I've never seen
explained, it makes Tonic Water glow milkily. :eek:
Click to expand...


Well, some flies see in UV, but would it kill them?
 
I almost hesitate to say this. But what the heck - I'm sure I'm not the first one to notice:

UV lav - lighting makes your *pee* look a very strange colour.
 
I hate using public loos (except ones in selected shops/cafes which are usually kept to a higher standard of cleanliness).

Public loos are only to be used in cases of extreme need and then I swathe the seat in loo paper or kleenex and 'hover' over the seat lest there is something catching there . . .

Carole
 
According to a survey i once read 80% of women 'hover' over the seats of public loo's.

Purveyor of useless facts,

Blueswidow.
 
On the other hand, it does help you develop those "Buns of Steel".
 
Your Honour, it is not what it seems. I admit to having a mirror on
a stick; I admit I should not have been in the Ladies. But my motive
was in no way sexual. I was following up a Fortean Times Message
Board posting which stated that 80% of women hover over the seat
in public toilets.

Ah, if we could only harness the thrust that lies in Woman's thighs,
we could be on Venus in a couple of shakes!

:eek:
 
The UV light in a fly zapper is only there to attract the flies onto an electric zapping device-
I don't know if public loos have got those as well, but if not the UV wont kill 'em.

BTW You know your city centre is going downhill when they put the black lights in the karsi...
 
anome said:
I've also heard about using blue lighting to keep addicts from shooting up. Someone suggested it for some of the outside areas in our new building (particularly as our old building used to be covered in a carpet of used syringes each morning).
Click to expand...

I believe it was McDonalds who started this, after two dead smackheads were found in the toilets in the McDonalds on the High Street in Nottingham. I think it was about 5 years ago if memory serves me correctly.
 
Snowman X said:
I believe it was McDonalds who started this, after two dead smackheads were found in the toilets in the McDonalds on the High Street in Nottingham. I think it was about 5 years ago if memory serves me correctly.
Click to expand...

i hope they put that on thier grave stones ..just to show how classy thier existance was ah..
 
sidecar_jon said:
i hope they put that on thier grave stones ..just to show how classy thier existance was ah..
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Well, at least some good would have come out of their deaths if it stops people taking heroin. Mind you, I suppose if they couldn't do it there, they'd go home and do it instead. Poor souls.:(
 
Users cannot see their veins under this type of light and it would discourage drug users from injecting in these venues.
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Err, doesn't that approach depend on the color of your skin?
 
I don't suppose Micky D's give a flying toss about heroin addicts killing themselves, as long as they're not doing it on their property... but considering the whole addiction and desperation mentality of your average smackhead, would it really deter them if they couldn't see the vein? or would they have a stab at it anyway, knowing more or less where it ought to be found and having convenient traintracks to guide the way? besides, can't you feel the vein? and there's other ways to take heroin if you're desperate etc.

not that i'm doubting this may be the reason for UV lighting just wondering if it really works. (I always thought it was to punish us for our preening and vanity - it's the least flattering lighting known to man, and would make even J-Lo's face look like a used albino tea bag.)
 
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