The woman's guts were hanging out when she arrived at the hotel. She had walked two blocks to get help after her boyfriend stabbed her with a bread knife. Although she survived the attack, she wouldn't say what happened, so the police followed the trail of blood back to the apartment. "It's an extreme example, but it happens," said Michelle Synnot, who works for the Portland Hotel Society, a non-profit organization that runs Insite, Vancouver's safe injection site. They also own and operate eight buildings on the Downtown Eastside, including several hotels. [continues 370 words]
Harmful and highly addictive synthetic drug continues to spread across all segments of our society The size and scope of the crystal methamphetamine problem in Vancouver is a matter of much debate between health officials and law enforcement, but its impact on street youth and gay men is undeniable. A 29-year-old former crystal meth addict named Lucky, who panhandles on Granville Street, nearly died from an overdose before getting clean. "My friends took me to a cabin in the middle of nowhere and chained me down for five weeks," he said. "I made a promise to my daughter and I've been clean for three years." [continues 533 words]
