Pubdate: Tue, 08 May 2007
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2007 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact:  http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: Liz Evans
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Supervised Injection Sites)

INJECTION SITE SAVES LIVES

I read with interest your online article New report suggests 
Vancouver's safe-injection site a failure, May 2, featuring former 
Reform party MP Randy White's remarks regarding Vancouver's 
supervised injection site. The article that White is touting is 
written by Colin Mangham and is published in an American magazine 
that was established just two months ago with funding from the U.S. 
Department of Justice. This is only its second issue. In contrast, 
the 24 Canadian studies, funded by Health Canada, have been published 
in established peer-reviewed journals that have existed since the 
early 1800s. (The New England Journal of Medicine was founded in 
1812, and The Lancet was founded in 1823.) The research published in 
these journals indicates that the injection site has a positive 
contribution to make in our collective fight against addiction.

As a nurse watching people living lives that none of us would ever 
consider, I ask White, rather than taking cheap shots at the 
injection site, why not try to help us?

There needs to be some programs and services that complement the 
lifesaving work of the supervised injection site. If we could all 
build and implement the kind of comprehensive strategy that is 
required, including harm reduction, treatment, detox, enforcement, 
etc., we could move towards seeing some real changes.Vancouver's 
injection site saves lives and needs to be a part of this strategy.

Liz Evans

PHS Community Services Society

Vancouver
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman