Pubdate: Tue, 09 Jul 2013
Source: Scarborough Mirror, The (CN ON)
Contact:  2013 The Scarborough Mirror
Website: http://www.insidetoronto.com/scarborough-toronto-on/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2198

SAFE INJECTIONS SITES SHOULD BE DISCUSSED - PASSIONATELY

Toronto's Board of Health is scheduled to discuss the pros and cons 
of safe injection sites at its Wednesday meeting.

It will be looking at setting up a similar model as the one currently 
in operation in Vancouver - and possibly asking the provincial 
government to fund a pilot site in the City of Toronto.

The recommendation to open a site is from a long-awaited report by 
Toronto Medical Officer of Health Dr. David McKeown, which is a 
response to the city's eight-year-old drug strategy looking at the 
viability of such sites.

The report, a joint study between St. Michael's Hospital and the 
University of Toronto, if approved recommends there be three such sites.

As Toronto population grows, so do its issues and safe injection 
sites are just one of those issues. At the moment there are no 
recommended locations so the topic of discussion at this week's 
meeting will be about community impact, according to Councillor Gord 
Perks who sat on the working group looking into the idea.

But the question of where such a site will be located always remain? 
And who should supervise it? The most logical place, in our opinion, 
would be in a hospital or in close proximity to one. If the health 
and safety of those using drugs is the reason for these sites, 
proximity to a hospital makes sense. Downtown hospitals would be the 
logical place to start. But drug use is not only located downtown.

Mayor Rob Ford has made a point of opposing safe injection sites for 
heroin users - but Dr. McKeown says the evidence suggests they're 
helpful in preventing the spread of HIV and hepatitis, and in 
reducing overdoses.

The idea of so-called supervised injection sites has been floated for 
many years, and each time community members raise important issues 
including crime, potential violence, and the morality of allowing 
someone to take drugs while society's mandate is helping its members 
get off drugs.

These are valid issues and should be discussed passionately and 
compassionately.

The health of a city is measured by the health of its citizens. And 
the health of its most vulnerable citizens is even more telling.
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