Pubdate: Tue, 28 Apr 2009
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2009 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Supervised Injection Sites)
Bookmark: http://mapinc.org/topic/insite

SAFE INJECTION SITES NOT A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT: LAWYER

(CNS) A lawyer for the Conservative government says it is not the 
government's job to provide safe injection sites and there is no 
constitutional right for addicts to inject illegal drugs.

The comments were made by Robert Frater, a lawyer for the federal 
attorney-general, during an appeal of a ruling that allows Insite, 
Vancouver's safe injection site, to stay open.

Last year B. C. Supreme Court Justice Ian Pitfield struck down the 
laws prohibiting possession and trafficking of controlled substances 
for the PHS Community Services Society, which runs Insite, finding 
the laws prevent access to health care services for drug addicts.

But during the first of what is expected to be three days of appeal 
arguments, Mr. Frater told a three-member panel of the B. C. Court of 
Appeal that the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act does not infringe 
the charter rights of addicts.

"There is no constitutional obligation on the state to provide 
supervised injection rooms, and there is no constitutional right to 
inject scheduled drugs," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom