Pubdate: Wed, 04 Jan 2012
Source: Alberni Valley Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Alberni Valley Times
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouverisland/albernivalleytimes/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4043
Note: froim Postmedia News

$600K BID TO CLOSE INJECTION SITE

Documents Reveal Full Cost Of Government's Unsuccessful Legal Battle 
With Insite

The Harper government spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in its 
unsuccessful legal battle against Insite, Vancouver's supervised 
injection site, according to newly released documents.

Between 2006 and 2011, the Conservatives spent $637,158 in a bid to 
shut down the Downtown Eastside clinic, funds that represented more 
than 20 per cent of Insite's annual $3-million operating budget.

The clinic, opened in 2003, has long been a burr under the saddle of 
a federal government that has fiercely resisted embracing the 
harm-reduction philosophy which underpins the clinic's operations.

The federal legal bill comes courtesy of a Justice Department reply 
to an access to information request, submitted last October by the 
Vancouver Sun. The request followed a landmark ruling by the Supreme 
Court in favour of keeping the clinic open.

In a unanimous decision, the judges ruled that not allowing the 
clinic to operate under an exemption from drug laws would violate the 
Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Harper regime between 2006 and 2008 reluctantly had granted the 
facility an exemption from drug laws, allowing it to operate. But 
between 2008 and last autumn's court ruling, it waged legal action to 
close down the clinic.

This, despite the fact Insite has had the long-standing support of 
both the Vancouver and B.C. governments. Polls show the clinic also 
has the support of about 70 per cent of Vancouverites.

And it has shown itself to be effective in reducing harm. In 2009, 
nearly 500 overdoses occurred at the clinic but no deaths. In 2010, 
221 overdoses occurred with no deaths.

A 2011 study in the British medical journal The Lancet found overdose 
deaths have dropped 35 per cent in the area of the clinic since it opened.

However, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq has explained that her 
government prefers to focus its efforts on prevention and treatment.

Insite's main goal is neither of these. With 12 injection booths and 
a staff that includes nurses, counsellors and mental health and 
social workers, the clinic attempts to reduce harm that users do to 
themselves, particularly by way of overdosing.

The clinic does not supply any drugs; rather, it provides a safe, 
medically supervised location and clean needles for addicts to 
administer their drugs. Importantly, it also provides counselling for 
those wishing to get off drugs.

Last year, the clinic was responsible for 5,268 referrals to various 
social and health agencies and 458 drug users were admitted to detox 
programs. Surely, this is the most worthwhile part of what the clinic does.

As the clinic's website states: "Through Insite, clients develop 
trusting relationships with our health care and social workers, 
making them more likely to pursue withdrawal management, addiction 
counselling and other addiction treatment services.

The government's vigorous legal battle against the clinic, even in 
the face of community acceptance and research showing the centre's 
effectiveness in reducing fatalities, shows an unproductive stubborn streak."
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