Pubdate: Wed, 18 Jan 2017
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2017 Postmedia Network
Contact:  http://www.calgaryherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: Shawn Logan
Page: A2

CALGARIANS DIVIDED ON SAFE-INJECTION, POLL FINDS

Even as the city struggles with a deadly opioid crisis, Calgarians
remain split on the merits of safe injection sites, a new poll suggests.

The Mainstreet/Postmedia survey finds Calgarians are evenly divided on
the thorny issue, with 41 per cent supporting the idea compared with
41 per cent who said they're opposed. Compared with 10 Canadian cities
also polled, the percentage of Calgary residents who disapprove of the
notion ranks the highest, tied with Saskatoon and Regina.

David Valentin of Mainstreet Research said the numbers suggest that
while Calgarians are well aware of the perils of opioids, especially
when it comes to fentanyl, providing a haven for drug users to either
inject or ingest them continues to be a polarizing issue.

"There hasn't been a lot of talk in Calgary about safe-injection
sites," Valentin said.

"But, elsewhere, people are out there talking about safe-injection
sites as a solution to the fentanyl crisis - even in Edmonton there's
been a bit more public discussion."

Last year, Alberta Health Minister Sarah Hoffman said the provincial
government was working with community partners to look at whether
safe-injection sites would make sense, but admitted any decision would
be a long way off.

Meanwhile, Calgary police Chief Roger Chaffin has said he supports the
idea of safe drug-use sites as long as they're part of a wider drug
strategy.

According to Alberta Health Services, 338 Albertans died from opioid
overdoses in the first nine months of 2016, the vast majority due to
fentanyl. The year-end total for opioid deaths in the province has yet
to be released by the medical examiner's office.

Even as Calgarians remain split on safe-injection sites, a majority
(56 per cent) say they're closely following the fentanyl story,
ranking only behind Edmonton at 58 per cent and Vancouver, which has
been hit particularly hard by the opioid crisis, at 78 per cent.

However, despite that awareness and the disturbing toll from
overdoses, some 36 per cent of Calgarians polled said they don't
believe recreational drugs are more dangerous today than they were
three years ago, compared with 37 per cent who believe doing drugs now
is more perilous than in the past. Another 15 per cent believe
recreational drugs are actually safer.

Valentin noted one positive finding on the dangers of drug use is that
a majority of Calgary respondents aged 18 to 34 believe they're more
dangerous today.

"The good news in Calgary is younger people, who would more likely be
using those drugs, seem to be getting the message," Valentin said of
the 51 per cent majority in that age grouping.

The survey randomly polled 612 Calgarians between Jan. 3 and 4. The
poll is considered accurate within plus or minus 3.96 percentage
points, 19 times out of 20.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt