Pubdate: Wed, 14 Jun 2006
Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Vancouver Courier
Contact:  http://www.vancourier.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474
Author: Allen Garr
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Safe Injecting Rooms)

HARPER UNDER GUN TO KILL INSITE

It is inconceivable that Stephen Harper will not approve the 
continuation of Vancouver's supervised injection site.

The medical evidence is overwhelming that this three-year experiment, 
where drug addicts are provided a clean, safe place to inject illegal 
drugs, is a success.

There have been more than 20 peer review articles in the most 
prestigious medical journals that support the notion the site is 
working. According to the primary funding agency, Vancouver Coastal 
Health Authority, it is the most examined experiment of its sort in the world.

Last week, researchers at the Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS 
seemed to surprise even themselves when they reported in the New 
England Journal of Medicine that the number of people who used the 
site and then went on to enter detoxification programs and seek 
treatment far exceeded those in the general population.

"The more regular use of the facility, known as Insite, and any 
contact with the facility's addictions counsellor, were both strongly 
tied to quicker initiation into detoxification," they wrote.

There are more than 600 visits a day to the site. There would be even 
more if money was provided to keep it open beyond 18 hours a day. 
Even so, among regular users needle-sharing and the resulting spread 
of diseases has been reduced. People are regularly rescued from 
overdosing by staff at the site.

In spite of all the glowing reviews, bureaucrats are still twitchy 
that Harper will just say no. The current agreement runs out in 
September. What is involved from Ottawa is both money and permission. 
Insite needs an exemption under the federal law that prohibits the 
possession and consumption of illegal drugs. Ottawa also provides 
funds to assess the program. Last time around that came to about $1.5 million.

The application for renewal was filed with the federal Ministry of 
Health more than a month ago. It was accompanied by letters of 
support from the mayor's office and the Vancouver Police Department. 
The cops would say the level of public disorder in the area has 
declined because of the project and the level of criminal activity 
has not increased.

According to people at this end, questions from Ottawa about the 
application were minor. The only remaining hurdle is political, which 
is to say Harper.

Harper has never been a fan of harm reduction or Insite. During a 
campaign stop on the West Coast during the federal election, he said 
no tax dollars would go to any program that involved illegal drugs. 
It is a position that certainly appeals to the right wing of the Tory 
party even though organizations like the Fraser Institute have argued 
in favour of the economic benefits of harm reduction.

People on the ground here suspect Harper is getting pressure to 
abandon the Insite project from the senior ranks of the RCMP. But 
this is not simply a decision Harper will make based on domestic 
considerations.

The prime minister's new best friends in the White House consider 
Insite the equivalent of assisted suicide.

Plans to include an American city in the NAOMI project along with 
Vancouver and Montreal, to test the results of a heroin maintenance 
program, were killed before they were even started. The White House 
drug czar has been pressuring Canadian governments for some time to 
continue with the failed policy of the War on Drugs.

Harper may consider there is more to be gained internationally than 
there is to be lost at home by shutting Insite down. Softwood lumber 
could rear its head again. Then there is the threat to tighten 
movements across our common border and cut the flow of tourist dollars.

He is expected in Vancouver in the next few days to welcome delegates 
to the World Urban Forum. It is not inconceivable he will be asked 
about Insite at that time.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom