Pubdate: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC) Copyright: 2013 Vancouver Courier Contact: http://www.vancourier.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474 Author: Mike Howell INSITE OPERATOR QUESTIONS NEW FEDERAL LEGISLATION Feds Set Out Long List of Criteria for Prospective Supervised Injection Sites The operator and funder of the city's supervised injection site is worried about the detrimental health effects new federal legislation could have on the future of injection sites in Vancouver and the rest of the country. Vancouver Coastal Health posted a statement on its website that questions the federal government's introduction last week of legislation to "raise the bar" for applications to renew or open injection sites. "Vancouver Coastal Health has reviewed the legislation and we question how practical the approval process outlined in this bill may be with the volume of information required, and the significant public resources needed to do the work to meet the requirements," the statement said. "It would be extremely disappointing if this bill creates a bureaucratic process that prevents the implementation of an evidence-based public health initiative where there is a clear need." The health agency, in conjunction with the PHS Community Services Society, has operated the Insite injection site on East Hastings since it opened in 2003 as a three-year scientific experiment. A series of successful court challenges led to the Supreme Court of Canada ruling in 2011 to allow Insite to continue operating indefinitely. However, Insite has to renew its exemption under Canada's drug laws in March 2014. Injection sites require an exemption from Health Canada under a section of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in order to legally operate. The federal government's introduction of the "Respect for Communities Act" sets out a long list of criteria that an applicant must meet to get an exemption to operate an injection site. The criterion includes the need for an applicant to provide information outlining the views of police, municipal leaders, public health officials and provincial health ministers. The applicant is also required to provide documentation that shows the site's expected impact on crime rates, treatment options for drug users, the public health reasons for needing such a site and evidence there are resources to sustain the site's operations. Mayor Gregor Robertson and his predecessors, Sam Sullivan, Larry Campbell and Philip Owen have all supported Insite. So has the province's chief medical health officer, Dr. Perry Kendall. Police Chief Jim Chu is also on record as supporting the facility, although the Vancouver Police Department's union president Tom Stamatakis has questioned Insite's effectiveness. Stamatakis is also the president of the Canadian Police Association and his comments appeared in the federal government's press release announcing the introduction of the bill. "Front-line law enforcement strongly believes that it is important for there to be a high threshold for applicants to meet before any supervised consumption site can be considered," Stamatakis said. "While treating drug addiction is an important goal, my experience in Vancouver is that these sites also lead to an increase in criminal behaviour and disorder in the surrounding community and have a significant impact on police resources, and that's why it will be vital for the views of local police to be taken into account." An email circulated by Jenni Byrne of the Conservative Party of Canada is urging people to join an online campaign to support the new legislation. "The Trudeau Liberals and Mulcair NDP are against us," Byrne wrote. "They want to repeat the experiment of Vancouver's Insite facility across the country - maybe even in your community. Because of the tough rules the Harper government introduced today, your voice will now matter. Add your name if you demand a say before a supervised drug consumption site is opened close to your family." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom