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. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake