Pubdate: Thu, 04 Jul 2013
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact:  http://torontosun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Don Peat

MAYOR NIXES INJECTION SITES

Mayor Rob Ford refuses to support supervised drug injection sites in Toronto.

Toronto Public Health on Tuesday recommended a pilot project of 
supervised injection services in the city.

The issue goes to the public health board on July 10.

"Noway,no,I'mnot supporting that whatsoever,"Ford told reporters on 
hisway into a City Hall meeting of his executive committee."Trustme, 
it's theworst thing that could happen to this city right now."

Councillor Gord Perks dismissed Ford's argument.

"Saving on health-care costs, saving lives and reducing the harms to 
communities is not a bad thing to have in Toronto," Perks countered. 
"If that's our worst problem, hey, I'll take it."

Public Health officials argued that evidence shows injection sites 
can "reduce the level of unsafe, hidden injection drug use in 
communities" when put in place carefully.

"Society has made significant advances in the past decade in 
addressing the denial that surrounds mental health. We need the same 
honesty and openness regarding injection drug use," Dr. David 
McKeown, the city's chief medical officer of health, said in a 
statement."The reality is that injection drug use is already 
happening in neighbourhoods across Toronto - in apartments, in 
alleyways, in washrooms."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom