Pubdate: Wed, 03 Jul 2013
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact:  http://torontosun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Terry Davidson
Page: 3

OFFICIALS CALL FOR INJECTION SITES

Toronto's public health agency is urging the city be allowed to have
supervised injection sites for intravenous drug users, a controversial
proposal one health official claims could prevent illness, lessen
instances of overdose, and even help some kick the habit.

Toronto Public Health released a report Tuesday recommending an
exemption be made by the federal government to allow a supervised
injection sites in the city as part of a pilot project to prevent the
spread of blood-borne infections, such as HIV and hepatitis C and
allow addicts to shoot up in a controlled environment.

The report also voices TPH's opposition to the government's recently
introduced Respect for Communities Act, legislation that would demand
that community-based requirements be met and consultations take place
before a site could be established.

TPS is also urging the provincial government to fund the "supervised
injection services" pilot projet.

The report, which sites research from similar programs in Vancouver,
Australia and Europe, states that 75,000 addicts in 2010 visited
facilities in Toronto that give out sterile needles as part of harm
reduction initiatives, and that just over 1 million needles were
distributed as a result.
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