Pubdate: Fri, 07 Jun 2013
Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Vancouver Courier
Contact:  http://www.vancourier.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474
Author: Allen Garr
Page: A10

HARPER'S ATTACK ON INSITE CONTINUES

The new rules introduced by the federal government Thursday as part of
what it's calling The Respect for Communities Act will make it harder
for health care activists to open more supervised injection sites in
this country.

What the federal government was unable to do at the Supreme Court of
Canada in 2011 to shut down InSite on East Hastings - Canada's only
supervised injection site available to the general public in Vancouver
and the proliferation of such institutions across the country-it is
now attempting to do with this act.

Reading through the initial press release from the Tory Minister of
Health Leona Aglukkaq, it's clear Ottawa is continuing an attack that
willfully ignores the mountain of scientific evidence based on 49
peer-reviewed papers published in scientific journals.

That evidence shows undeniable health benefits to both injection drug
users and their communities that have resulted from InSite's presence
in the Downtown Eastside over the past decade.

The federal health minister says "our government believes that
creating a location for sanctioned use of drugs obtained from illicit
sources has the potential for great harm in communities." But the
facts tell a different story in our city.

Because injection drug users have a supervised place to shoot up where
they come in contact with health care professionals, there has been an
increasing number of referrals to health and social programs. There
has also been a reduction in overdose fatalities; a reduction in the
transmission of blood-borne infections like HIV and Hepatitis C; a
reduction of injection-related infections. And, the police will tell
you, a reduction in public disorder.

As well, obviously, there has been a reduction in health care
costs.

InSite legally exists because of a special exemption from Ottawa so
they can have illicit drugs on the premises. The Supreme Court ruling
in 2011 said that failure to grant that exemption was a violation of
Section 7 of the Charter of Rights that guarantees life, liberty and
the security of the person. In other words, refusal to grant an
exemption would endanger people's lives.

Ottawa continues to take the opposite view in The Respect for
Communities Act. And the minister is clear that her government intends
to "raise the bar" for applicants.

What they are asking for before an application for an exemption can
even be "considered" is a demonstration of support from local law
enforcement, municipal leaders, public health officials and provincial
or territorial ministers for health.

The applicant would also have to include documentation showing that
treatment options are available for those dealing with addiction. As
far as Vancouver's InSite goes, it has had and continues to have
support from all those areas. But what is now unknown is just how high
the bar will be set by Ottawa in terms of the support. Would it
require every elected official, every member of a community and every
regional police force to sign on, for example?

And even then, applications could be rejected once
considered.

The irony here, and one that Dr. Evan Wood with the B.C. Centre for
Excellence in HIV/AIDS points out, is this: There are hundreds of
needle exchanges in Canada supported by the federal government. These
collect used needles and give out clean ones. Surely the government
doesn't think this is a service that only meets the needs of diabetics.

So while it is willing to approve a service that allows addicts to
shoot up in back alleys, unsupervised and often using water from
puddles in their syringes, it's hesitant to approve a much more
controlled environment.

In supervised sites, the user cannot take needles out into the street.
They must fix in the presence of a health care professional. They must
deal with drug counsellors who will engage them and encourage them to
move on to treatment. And they must conduct themselves in an orderly
fashion.

For some ideological reason that defies science and experience,
Stephen Harper's government would rather support a system that puts
people's lives at greater risk and is more damaging and costly to our
communities.

Watch for this one to end up in court.
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MAP posted-by: Matt