Pubdate: Tue, 12 Apr 2016
Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.ottawasun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.ottawasun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329
Author: Matthew M. Elrod
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v16/n229/a05.html
Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor

SKOF MISSES MARK

Matt Skof, the president of the Ottawa Police Association, erred in
concluding that Vancouver's supervised injection site, Insite has
failed to reduce HIV infections based on a comparison of infection
rates in B.C. with other provinces.

Insite serves one neighbourhood of one city. Drug users in other
cities do not have access to supervised injection sites, so it would
be unrealistic to expect Insite to reduce infection rates throughout
the province.

As to where supervised injection sites should be located, public
health officials recommend establishing them where large numbers of
drug users are already injecting drugs.

Contrary to Mr. Skof's assertion that "a supervised site brings an
increase in crime," the Supreme Court of Canada concluded that
"Insite has saved lives and improved health without increasing the
incidence of drug use and crime in the surrounding area."

I recommend that Mr. Skof review the court's findings and decision.

Matthew M. Elrod, Victoria

(Does success, if we call it that, in Vancouver equal success
elsewhere?)
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MAP posted-by: Matt