Pubdate: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC) Copyright: 2009 Vancouver Courier Contact: http://www.vancourier.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474 Author: Mike Howell Cited: PHS Community Services Society http://www.communityinsite.ca Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Insite (Insite) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Supervised Injection Sites) ORGANIZATION EYES SECOND SUPERVISED INJECTION SITE Plans Include Crack Inhalation Room The nonprofit society that operates the city's supervised drug injection site on East Hastings has drawn up plans for a second site in the Downtown Eastside. Mark Townsend, executive director of the PHS Community Services Society, said an architect completed a design for a facility that would feature 14 injection booths, an inhalation room for crack cocaine smokers and space to administer prescription drugs. "It's done, it's complete and we could submit it to the city [for a building permit]," said Townsend, who wouldn't reveal the location of the proposed site but noted it is inside a building operated by the PHS. The society manages several hotels in the Downtown Eastside, including the Pennsylvania, the Rainier and the Washington. It also operates a bank, dental and health clinics and a detox centre above the Insite drug injection site. Despite what critics may think of injection sites, Townsend said the push for a second facility is a small part of the PHS's commitment to making life better for addicts. "We're always trying to move forward, we're always trying to be comprehensive," he said. Townsend said Insite, which handles an average of 600 injections per day, is at capacity. Insite has 12 injection booths and the PHS is lobbying the federal government for an inhalation room. Townsend acknowledged opening a second site would require many things to happen, beginning with a court ruling in favour of keeping Insite open indefinitely. The PHS is awaiting a decision from the B.C. Court of Appeal regarding Insite. The society won a victory in May 2008 when B.C. Supreme Court Justice Ian Pitfield granted staff and users of Insite a constitutional exemption from the country's drug laws. Insite was set to close June 30, 2008 but Pitfield's ruling kept the doors open. The federal government appealed Pitfield's decision and the PHS continues to wait for a ruling. If the decision is in Insite's favour, Townsend said the society will "get the ball rolling" to open a second injection site. Then would come the tough part of finding money to fund it. Insite, which is paid for by the provincial government, costs $2.8 million a year to operate. Townsend pointed out that it took almost eight years for the PHS to find funding for Onsite, the detox centre above Insite. It provides 30 beds, health care and counselling and costs $1 million annually to operate. Several peer-reviewed studies published in international medical journals concluded Insite reduces the spread of infectious disease and leading some addicts to counselling, treatment and housing. No one has died of an overdose at the site, which is the only legal facility of its kind in North America. It opened in September 2003 as a scientific trial. During his campaign for mayor, Gregor Robertson supported opening more injection sites in the city. Former mayors Larry Campbell and Philip Owen have also said the city needs more sites to handle the estimated 12,000 intravenous drug users in Vancouver. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake