Pubdate: Fri, 12 Jul 2013
Source: Standard Freeholder (Cornwall, CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 Cornwall Standard Freeholder
Contact: http://www.standard-freeholder.com/letters
Website: http://www.standard-freeholder.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1169
Author: Danielle Bell
Referenced: Support for Supervised Injection Sites (SIS) Proposed 
Federal Bill C-65 Respect for Communities Act, 2013 Public Health 
Physicians of Canada Position Statement July 10, 2013: 
http://mapinc.org/url/iBU6D2gc

PHYSICIANS PUSH FOR INJECTION SITES

Public Health Physicians of Canada Want Government to Reconsider Bill C-65

The Public Health Physicians of Canada are adding their support to a 
growing push toward supervised injection sites.

The organization, which represents more than 200 public health, 
preventative medicine specialists and physicians in the country, 
called on the federal government on Thursday to reconsider proposed 
legislation, Bill C-65, that would make it "almost impossible" for 
public health agencies to offer supervised injection sites.

Bill C-65 is an Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act 
that experts say would put additional barriers towards opening more 
sites across Canada.

"We do not need to have these sites enshrined in criminal legislation.

"Instead, local public health agencies should be able to integrate 
these services, when required, into the range of harm reduction 
interventions that are needed by their local communities," said PHPC 
president Dr. Joel Kettner.

The PHPC believes supervised injection programs can help prevent 
deaths and disease connected to IV drug use, and can be a harm 
reduction measure to help the most vulnerable people.

The organization also says that research and studies document the 
"positive public health and public safety outcomes" of such 
supervised injection sites. Among the benefits, they say, are 
reductions in overdose deaths, unsafe needle use, public drug use, 
and risky behaviours that can lead to HIV and other infections.

Critics argue such sites raise community safety issues, including 
encouraging drug use and crime.

PHPC wants the government to develop "a more reasonable CDSA 
exemption application process," with the help of input from health 
experts and others, including drug users themselves.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom