Pubdate: Fri, 05 Jun 2015
Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)
Copyright: 2015 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.montrealgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274
Author: Charlie Fidelman
Page: A1

SAFE INJECTION SITES BY FALL

Coderre Vows to Push Ahead Without Ottawa's Approval

It will save lives, and that's been proven at 90 different (drug 
injection) sites around the world.

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre would like to see supervised injection 
sites introduced in the city by this fall, whether the federal 
government grants the required exemption to the groups involved in 
the project or not.

"What are we waiting for? People are dying," Coderre said Thursday at 
a news conference.

Montreal gave the safe-injection project the green light two years 
ago in 2013 - approval for three sites and a mobile unit where 
serious drug addicts can legally and safely inject themselves. The 
goal is to reduce death from overdose and HIV and other infections 
from dirty needles, Coderre said.

At least 80 people overdosed and another 25 died in Montreal last 
year after injecting drugs.

The delay in implementing the sites "is all politics," Coderre said 
of the federal government's longstanding opposition to offer drug 
users legal spaces to consume illegal substances.

"This is urgent for Montreal," Coderre said following the 
announcement that the city, public health authorities and community 
groups have requested Health Canada grant an exemption in order to 
implement three safe injection sites and a mobile clinic.

But Coderre said he does not intend to wait for Health Canada's 
approval too long.

"We'll give them about two months," he said. The request is more of a 
formality because the Supreme Court has already made its position 
clear on the topic, he added. Also, health matters fall under 
provincial jurisdiction. Everything is in place, except approval from 
Ottawa, the last missing piece, Coderre said. The project has 
received $2.6 million in annual financing from the provincial 
government. Public safety authorities, the Montreal police department 
and citizens were also consulted.

In 2011, Canada's top court found Ottawa's refusal to renew the 
exemption for Vancouver's injection site - the only one in Canada - 
was unconstitutional because it deprived people access to potentially 
life-saving medical care. Insite Vancouver was established in 2003 in 
a downtown east-side neighbourhood where most of its vulnerable drug 
addicts congregate.

Unlike Vancouver, Montreal does not have a concentration of drug 
users in one location, Coderre said. The injection sites will be 
located downtown, the Plateau and Hochelaga areas, while the mobile 
units will service Montreal's northern and southwest neighbourhoods.

The safe injection sites will be an extension of services provided by 
groups already working with the homeless and the addicted. CACTUS 
Montreal, Dopamine, Spectre de rue and Anonyme give out 6,000 fresh 
needles a year. Together they report 75,000 visits a year, said 
CACTUS Montreal director Sandhia Vadlamundy.

Community, municipal and provincial stakeholders have worked on the 
supervised injection sites for the past five years, said Sonia 
Belanger, director of the Centre integre universitaire de sante et de 
services sociaux (CIUSSS) du Centre-Est-de-l'Ile-de-Montreal (which 
replaced the Montreal Health and Social Services Agency.)

"This is a great step forward and a tribute to the tenacity of all 
involved," Belanger said.

Richard Masse, the CIUSSS regional director of public health, said 
the sites are for drug addicts, but the benefits will be felt by all 
Montrealers because of the drop in infections and deaths.

"It will save lives, and that's been proven at 90 different (drug 
injection) sites around the world," he said. "It will also decrease 
infection because we provide them with clean material and information.

"Third, and this is really important, it increases the use of health 
and social services by people who don't consult (doctors or clinics) 
easily. They can be referred to services at a time when they are 
ready to receive them. And it will decrease the number of syringes in 
parks and alleys."

After a wave of overdose deaths last year, the health department 
called for broader naloxone availability, which can counter overdose 
effects of drugs such as heroin and morphine, he said.

In Ottawa, Health Minister Rona Ambrose issued a statement 
criticizing Coderre for attempting to open drug injection sites 
without consultation.

"Our Conservative Government has a strong record of keeping our 
streets and communities safe," her statement said. "We oppose and are 
deeply concerned with (Liberal leader) Justin Trudeau's pledge to 
open drug injection houses in communities across Canada."

In a statement issued late Thursday, Health Canada said it reviews 
requests for exemptions to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act 
(CDSA) on a case-by-case basis and running an injection site without 
one could lead to legal action.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom