Pubdate: Thu, 23 Jun 2016
Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
Page: A8
Copyright: 2016 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.ottawacitizen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326
Author: Betsy Kitchen
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v16/n429/a02.html?2081

A CANDLE IN THE DARK FOR DRUG ADDICTS

Re: A 'Yes' Vote for injection sites, June 21.

Kudos to Ottawa's board of health for recognizing that safe injection 
sites are about so much more than giving addicts clean needles and a 
place to shoot up in the presence of allied healthcare providers. In 
fact, safe injection sites, like the one proposed under the Sandy 
Hill Community Health Centre's OASIS program, will ultimately benefit 
the surrounding neighbourhood and our entire city.

The logic is simple. Safe injection sites are proven to save the 
lives of addicts, and saving that addict also means saving a son or 
daughter, maybe a mother or father, but certainly someone's family member.

Whole families are affected when one of them is a slave to an 
addiction. Thankfully, the same holds true when instead the addict is 
given access to compassion, support and treatment through a safe 
injection site.

Safe injection sites are the candle in the darkness for Ottawa's IV 
drug addicts and their families. When these addicts are able to come 
out of the shadows to heal, their families can also heal. And when 
whole families heal enough to step into the light, our entire 
community shines brighter too.

Betsy Kitchen, Ottawa
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom