Pubdate: Tue, 30 Jan 2007
Source: Ubyssey (CN BC Edu)
Contact:  http://www.ubyssey.bc.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/706
Author: Meghan Roberts
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/InSite
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Supervised Injection Sites)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)

FATE OF INSITE STILL UNKNOWN

Vancouver's safe injection site (Insite) has been a  hotbed of
controversy since opening three years ago.  The most recent research
indicates that the site is  beneficial both to its patrons and the
Vancouver  community, however, the conflicting ideological views  of
the BC and Federal governments continue to threaten  its future.

Insite provides a safe atmosphere and clean equipment  for persons
with drug addictions. There are over 60  safe injection sites
primarily in Western Europe and  most recently Australia. Vancouver's
site is the first  of its kind in North America.

"I've traveled to Ottawa several times to advocate for  the
continuation of the safe injection Site," said  Vancouver mayor Sam
Sullivan, "I hope my efforts have  had a role in convincing the
federal government to  continue the site."

Tony Clement, federal minister of health, remains  skeptical of Insite
despite his recent visit to the  facility on January 3, 2007. The tour
came as a  surprise to the Insite staff, who were not expecting  the
high profile visitor. Both staff and Insite users  were present during
Clement's 30-minute tour.

Clement did not reveal the impact of this visit on his  views of the
site, but said that it was educational. He  has yet to decide Insite's
fate beyond the end of this  year.

Jeff West, an employee and advocate of Insite, is  passionate that it
has been beneficial both to its  patrons and the community. But he is
concerned about  the potential closure of the site if the Conservative
  Party manages to seize power as a majority government.

West also mentioned United States influence on Canadian  policies,
citing the US War on Drugs as a source of  dissent in Canada for a
project like Insite.

He is adamant that community harm reduction is a major  goal of
Insite, and that a regulated space brings drug  usage out of the public eye.

"Amongst this population the first thing you have to do  is treat them
with dignity, passion and respect and  break down their selfloathing,"
he said.

Evan Wood, assistant professor in the UBC Department of  Medicine and
principal investigator for the study of  Insite, was involved in its
founding through his work  at the BC Centre for Excellence in
HIV/AIDS. Wood  helped with feasibility research for the site and
worked with Vancouver Coastal Health to obtain the  exemption
necessary to operate an organisation  facilitating persons addicted to
illegal substances.

Wood's research concludes that the site is highly  beneficial to its
patrons and the Vancouver community.  Patrons who visit the site
regularly were shown to have  an increased likelihood of entering a
detoxification  program; in addition, shared usage of needles in the
Downtown Eastside has decreased; users are practicing  safer injecting
techniques, and there have been fewer  overdoses among Insite users.

Perry Kendall, Provincial Health Officer for British  Columbia's
Ministry of Health and chair of the  project's steering committee,
wrote on behalf of  Vancouver Coastal Health requesting a 3.5-year
extension based on the encouraging results of the  research that has
been conducted.

"Multiply 700 by 365 and that's how many injections  would be
happening on the street [per year] if the site  closes," Kendall said.

The federal government has cut select funding to the  project and
denied Insite's request for a 3.5-year  extension to operate in favour
of one that will last  until the end of 2007. Wood links this lack of
enthusiasm to the proximity of the USA and ideological  conflicts.

"Results are black and white and crystal clear," Wood  stated. "[The]
Conservative government has chosen to  ignore these findings in
pursuit of their ideological  agenda."

"I think it's appalling," said Wood, who believes that  this set back
will halt development of similar sites in  other Canadian cities,
potentially resulting in  avoidable medical care costs and loss of
human life. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake