Pubdate: Fri, 15 Jul 2016
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2016 The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: Marcus Gee
Page: A8

SUPERVISED-INJECTION VOTE'S CIVILITY A RARE CREDIT TO TORONTO COUNCIL

Toronto City Council voted 36-3 on Thursday in favour of setting up
three supervised injection sites for drug users. That in itself was
remarkable, an overwhelming mandate for a program that often runs into
heavy community and political opposition.

What was even more remarkable was how it happened. In a city with a
recent history of divisive quarrels, in which evidence is the first
casualty, this was a civilized, deliberate, rational debate that ended
with a sensible, fact-based decision. In Toronto, that is something
worth applauding.

The campaign for injection sites was led by David McKeown, the city's
medical officer of health. Known for his careful, just-the-facts
presentations at city hall, he is about to retire from his post. This
was his last battle. He argues that the evidence from about 90 sites
in other cities and countries shows that giving users a safe place to
inject with clean needles tends to prevent overdoses, reduce the
transmission of disease and keep needles and other drug paraphernalia
from ending up in parks and backyards when users inject there.

Persuaded by what he read and heard, an earnest young first-term city
councillor, Joe Cressy, took up the campaign, though one of the sites
would affect his downtown ward. The mayor, John Tory, looked at the
research, listened to the arguments, overcame his initial discomfort
and signed on. So did the chief of police, Mark Saunders.

Officials consulted the public through public meetings and online
surveys. They found that while many residents worried about issues
such as increased crime and falling property values around the sites,
even more saw upsides such as fewer people injecting in alleyways and
public washrooms. In his neighbourhood, Mr. Cressy said, "People have
come out and said, 'Yes in my backyard.' "

When the issue finally came to city council for a vote on Thursday,
the debate was marked by calm and compassion. One councillor, Paula
Fletcher, spoke about a young woman, Brooklyn McNeil, 22, who was
found dead of a drug overdose in an alley last month.

The daughter of an addicted father, she started using drugs at 12 and
intravenous drugs at 18, said Ms. Fletcher.

She became an advocate for drug addicts and told a board of health
meeting in March that Toronto should help them out by opening
injection sites.

"This one's for Brooklyn," Ms. Fletcher said. "No more deaths in
alleyways."

Another councillor, Justin Di Ciano, said that addiction is an
illness, not a crime. We wouldn't let someone suffering from cancer
die in an alleyway.

Yet another, Paul Ainslie, said the harm-reduction approach that the
injection sites represent is well established. The Seaton House
shelter used to take flak for handing out liquor and cigarettes to the
addicts who visited.

Even council's resident blowhard, Giorgio Mammoliti, was - for him -
restrained as he warned that injection sites could attract drug
pushers and other criminals.

Norm Kelly, the former deputy mayor and unofficial dean of city
councillors, politely thanked Mr. Mammoliti for his remarks but said
he would be supporting the injection sites.

"These sites work," he said to council.

As Mr. Cressy is the first to admit, injection sites are not a silver
bullet. Not all dangerous drugs are injected. Illegal drug use and
drug addiction is a complex problem. Treatment, prevention, education
and law enforcement all have a part in addressing it.

The injection sites may indeed cause some problems in the
neighbourhoods where they open.

But the evidence indicates that this realistic and charitable approach
is worth trying.

People are going to keep on using dangerous, illegal drugs, like it or
not. We can try to discourage them, but in the meantime, we should try
to mitigate the effects of their drug use, both on themselves and on
others.

Mr. Cressy said that if someone in his family were using drugs he
would want them to stop, but he also would want them to stay alive
long enough to have the chance. Good on him for taking a political
risk and backing the sites. Good on Toronto for responding with such
humanity and good sense.
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MAP posted-by: Matt