Safe Injection Sites

**Hootad Binky** · 13-05-2008, 03:07 AM

Should intravenous drug-users be given a safe site with clean needles and a nurse present in order to safely inject illegal drugs and prevent deaths from overdoses and disease-transmission?

Vancouver has had a site like this for a few years, one of a few in the world. Although it has been proven to reduce harm, it's still controversial, and represents everything the current minority Conservative government hates, despite the science and data.

Now it's up for renewal and the government refuses to say if it will operate indefinitely.

Expert: Safe injection site improves 'public order'

May. 5 2008

Vancouver's safe-injection site has not lowered or increased crime in the area, but has slightly reduced public drug use and saved taxpayers' money in health costs, according to a new report.

Professor Neil Boyd, a criminologist at Vancouver's Simon Fraser University, said on Monday that Insite, the five-year-old safe-injection site, has not had a negative impact on its community.

"We looked at crime rates in the area surrounding Insite, and we talked to business operators, we talked to service providers, to police, to residents in the surrounding vicinity. We found, overwhelmingly, people had very positive sentiments," he told CTV News.

"Not only that, crime rates were quite unaffected by the implementation of Insite...In fact, we found some improvements in public order with respect to decreased injection debris, decreased injections around the site and those findings simply corroborated other research that had been carried out prior to our study."

Boyd was commissioned last year by the federal government to study Insite's impact on crime rates in Vancouver's downtown east side.

His research also showed:

For every $1 spent on Insite, up to $4 of taxpayers' money is saved;
The risk of contracting hepatitis C or HIV decreases as needle sharing is curbed;
The use of detoxification services increases as Insite users are encouraged to seek treatment and counselling; and,
Lives have been saved as Insite staff have been able to intervene during overdose events.

Insite, believed to be North America's only supervised injection site, opened in 2003. It allows people to inject illegal drugs, including heroin and cocaine, under a nurse's supervision.
It was able to open after it was granted a federal exemption from Canada's drug laws, which runs out at the end of June.

More than 25 studies, published in some of the leading medical journals, have shown that it keeps health-care and law-enforcement budgets down while minimizing harm to addicts.
"I don't think there's much doubt anymore," Boyd said.

"We have to move to close this chapter and give Insite a long-standing exemption."
Health Minister Tony Clement is expected to decide whether or not to extend Insite's exemption near the June 30 deadline.

"I would urge Tony Clement to look carefully at the evidence, and I think if he does, he'll come to the conclusion that this isn't about enabling drug users. This is about helping a disadvantaged, very compromised population," Boyd said.

Liberal public safety critic Ujjal Dosanjh said the government should not base its decision on ideological grounds, but on science and expert opinion.

"The government should stop thinking and acting politically, and start acting responsibly for health reasons," he told CTV's Mike Duffy Live. "Insite has been studied to death -- literally. They should move on."

Clement has said he wants more information about Insite before deciding whether to grant the program more government funding.

"We're the government that actually wants more research ... because we want to make sure that this decision is the right decision for Canada, the right decision for addicts, the right decision for the community in Vancouver,'' he told the House of Commons Monday.

Winnipeg MP Steven Fletcher, secretary to the health minister, has said the government will not base its decision purely on science, because the science is conflicting.
He said Clement will have to consider the "realities of the situation."

CTV.ca | Expert: Safe injection site improves 'public order'

**Texpat** · 13-05-2008, 03:19 AM

The patients are running the asylum!

Do diabetics get free needles and nurse assistance for insulin injections?

My country spends a lot of money on stupid shit. But this is a doozey.

**Michael** · 13-05-2008, 03:19 AM

HB , can buy new syringes at any pharmacy. Have to tackle the problem first, surely?

**Hootad Binky** · 13-05-2008, 03:26 AM

^ Thanks, Michael! I'm sure that common-sense advice would be well-received by the destitute drug-addicts

at: Research Results - Insite - Supervised Injection Site - Health Services - Vancouver Coastal Health

7,278 unique individuals registered at Insite
Women made up 26 per cent of clients
Aboriginal people made up 18 per cent of clients
Heroin was used in 41 per cent of injections
Cocaine was used in 27 per cent of injections
Morphine was used in 12 per cent of injections
453 overdoses resulted in no fatalities
4,084 referrals were made with 40 per cent of them made to addiction counselling
Referral to withdrawal management: 368
Referral to methadone maintenance: 2 per week
Daily average visits: 607
Average number of visits per month, per person: 11
Busiest day: May 25, 2005 (933 visits in 18 hours)
Number of nursing care interventions: 6,227
Number of nursing interventions for abscess care: 2,055

**Wallalai** · 13-05-2008, 03:48 AM

This kind of site exist also in some cities in Switzerland.

I prefer to know that used needles are in proper disposals in these centers and not in public parks where children are playing.

**Texpat** · 13-05-2008, 04:01 AM

How do policemen and the justice system come to terms with these criminals being coddled using state resources?

On one hand they're told to go find the drug users and arrest them and on the other the state is protecting, paying for and encouraging them. (Or is heroin and cocaine legal in Canada?)

Sounds like a soup sandwich to me.

**Panda** · 13-05-2008, 04:07 AM

The cops are more interested in the pushers than the users.

**Hootad Binky** · 13-05-2008, 04:10 AM

It's proven to save lives.

**Panda** · 13-05-2008, 04:24 AM

Keeps them out of hospitals and saves the taxpayer money.
Plus they get access to rehab.

**Hootad Binky** · 13-05-2008, 05:04 AM

If the government wants to close it down for political reasons, they should just say so.

**ceburat** · 13-05-2008, 09:08 AM

HB you really amase me. You don't pay your taxes, claim to/or act like a real American Citizen, and support shit like this. Unbelieveable.

**November Rain** · 13-05-2008, 09:27 AM

It's a difficult one. As I've already shown on previous threads, I'm anti-drugs, but this isn't about that, so much, as far as I can see. These people are not going to stop injecting drugs into their veins, because of lack of a clean needle. So, they are risking contracting many diseases, including hepatitis & HIV. If they get these diseases, they will be a drain on the health & welfare system. So, as a matter of pure 'prevention being better than cure' economics, I would say, yes, this should be available.

As for diabetics getting free needles & syringes - yep, I vote for that, too. It would make my Mum happy. Actually, I don't think she does pay for them in UK, but she did in Asia & I know she resorted to reusing (her own) needles occasionally, when she couldn't afford to buy more.

**blackgang** · 13-05-2008, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Hootad Binky

It's proven to save lives.

So what, what are those lives worth? Useless to humanity except as bad examples.

Kind of like keeping empty gum wrappers after you have already chewed the gum and spit it out.

**Marmite the Dog** · 13-05-2008, 11:07 AM

They should have nurses at pubs to make sure drinkers don't get infections from dirty glasses too.

**raycarey** · 13-05-2008, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by blackgang

So what, what are those lives worth?

putting aside your blatant hypocrisy for a moment......it's a public safety issue, and in the end will likely end up saving tax dollars.

and btw, it's precisely these people who need to be protected by society.

**Texpat** · 13-05-2008, 11:26 AM

I think Nana and Cowboy should employ certified nurses (in G-strings and pasties) to hand out free condoms.
This is a public safety issue and will save money in the long run.

Alcoholics should be given a safe place to drink and a ride home.
This is a public safety issue and will save money in the long run.

You see how this quickly enters the slippery slope of ridiculousness.

When a society surrenders all facets of personal responsibility to the government, it starts becoming a drain.

**raycarey** · 13-05-2008, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Texpat

I think Nana and Cowboy should employ certified nurses to hand out free condoms.

good idea.
a simple, cost effective way to slow the spread of disease, save lives, and reduce future costs for taxpayers.

keep up the good work sport!

**peterpan** · 13-05-2008, 11:50 AM

These morons are intent on killing themselves anyway, why prolong the process?
The only thing that should be free is a shovel so they can dig their own graves first.

**November Rain** · 13-05-2008, 01:38 PM

I'm not sure why very few members can see that this isn't a measure to protect the drug addicts per se. It's a measure to stop them becoming a bigger drain on the welfare & health systems than they already are. It's actually potentially saving the taxpayers' money. Would you US taxpayers (I'm mentioning you, because I believe you still have to pay tax in the US, even if living here? Excuse me if I'm wrong) rather pay a pittance for syringes, needles & a clinic, or huge amounts for HIV cocktails of drugs, liver transplants & ICU care?

BTW, Tex - I think the condom idea is a really good one, although I realise it was tongue-in-cheek. Not sure about the dress code for those dispensing the condoms, though.

**Panda** · 13-05-2008, 02:32 PM

Actually the Thais had a big campaign about condoms reducing the risk of HIV about 10 years ago. There were free condoms in bars and signs about in bars urging people to use them and protect themselves. I did read a report that the campaign worked and the rate of new HIV infections actually came down. But now that the campaign is over the rates of infection are on the rise again.

**benbaaa** · 13-05-2008, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by peterpan

These morons are intent on killing themselves anyway

Like smokers and heavy drinkers...

**Texpat** · 13-05-2008, 03:09 PM

Exactly -- where's the help for these poor bastards?

Or is that their problem?

The whole idea of excusing, assisting and condoning the most destructive of vices is rotten to the core.

**benbaaa** · 13-05-2008, 03:16 PM

Marmite's suggestion of a nurse in every pub is most excellent.

**Sir Burr** · 13-05-2008, 03:42 PM

It helps the addicts.
It saves the taxpayers money.

What's to discuss?

**benbaaa** · 13-05-2008, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by Sir Burr

It helps the addicts. It saves the taxpayers money. What's to discuss?

The nurses' uniforms?

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