Pubdate: Tue, 13 Dec 2016
Source: Metro (Vancouver, CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Metro Canada
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3775
Author: Jen St. Denis
Page: A1

INJECTION SITES COULD ARRIVE FASTER

Agencies won't have to wait to have applications sped up:
Minister

B.C.'s health minister believes health agencies won't necessarily have
to wait for federal legislation to pass before having their existing
new safe injection site applications sped up.

"Even under that existing regime I know the minister's officials at
Health Canada have talked directly to Vancouver Coastal Health to try
to expedite the two applications that they have at the moment," said
Terry Lake at the opening of an emergency mobile medical unit in
Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

Legislation brought in by the previous Conservative government
requires an onerous and lengthy consultation process that has made
opening new sites very difficult. Currently only two legal safe
injection sites, both in Vancouver, operate in Canada.

On Monday, Health Minister Jane Philpott introduced a bill to
streamline the applications process, cutting down the number of
requirements from 26 to five.

"You have to do up to 90 days of consultation, but in circumstances
where you have to show there is acute need and you can convince the
minister, you may not have to wait 90 days," Lake said. By early 2017,
Lake he expects to see new supervised consumption sites in Victoria,
Surrey, Kamloops and Kelowna.

Already this year, 622 people have died of drug overdoses in British
Columbia as fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid added to drugs like
heroin and cocaine has become ubiquitous. Health officials warned last
week that the crisis is worsening, likely because of the appearance of
carfentanil, a much more potent variation.

Last week, the province announced the creation of several overdose
prevention sites in Victoria, Vancouver, Surrey and Prince George.
Health officials say those sites are not safe injection sites, but are
simply connecting drug users with first-aid providers.

Lake said Philpott has shown no objection to the overdose prevention
sites.

The mobile medical unit (MMU) has been set up in a city-owned lot at
58 W. Hastings. It was last used in Whistler during the Olympics and
is designed to function as a mobile emergency room.

Doctors from St. Paul's Hospital who specialize in addictions medicine
will staff the MMU. The hope is to both treat overdoses and then
connect patients with long-term addictions treatments, such as
suboxone, while also using BC Ambulance resources more
efficiently.

Dr. Keith Ahamad said he believes numbers reported by the BC Coroner
likely under-report the number of deaths ultimately caused by
overdoses, because many times people suffer irreparable brain damage
and then succumb to a complication.
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