Pubdate: Fri, 02 Dec 2016
Source: Metro (Edmonton, CN AB)
Copyright: 2016 Metro Canada
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/Edmonton
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4475
Author: Jeremy Simes
Page: 3

REPORT LOOKS AT SAFE SITES

In 2014, there were 324 people in Edmonton sharing needles and
injecting in public spaces, according to the group looking at safe
consumption services in the city.

That's more than what Vancouver saw before launching safe consumption
clinic Insite, says Shelley Williams, chair of Access to Medically
Supervised Injection Services.

Council will review a new report on access to medically supervised
safe consumption sites Monday, after the province announced in late
October it would give AMSIS $230,000 to apply to the federal
government for exemption from drug laws.

But AMSIS requires the city and Edmonton police to sign off on
supporting safe consumption sites before moving forward with the
federal application.

The report paints a troublesome picture for the city - Streetworks
expects to distribute 2.3 million needles this year, and there were
1,800 cases of people using emergency rooms due to opiate or heroin
poisonings.

Five hundred poisoning cases required a bed at that hospital, which
costs $1,605 per day per person.

Williams said the numbers in Edmonton are relatively high when
compared with other cities.

"The number of needles being given out has increased over the last
number of years," she said. "So we need to develop services."
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MAP posted-by: Matt