Pubdate: Wed, 10 Aug 2016
Source: Kelowna Capital News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016, West Partners Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.kelownacapnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1294
Author: Kathy Michaels

RASH OF DRUG OVERDOSES SPEEDING UP NEED FOR LOCAL SAFE INJECTION SITE

Kelowna could soon have a safe injection site, as Interior Health is
pushing forward a multi-tiered plan to combat the mounting number of
drug related overdoses.

"We are as we speak conducting a survey with people who use drugs so
they can provide input on the idea of a safe injection service," said
Dr. Silvina Mema, Medical Health Officer with IHA, noting that the
survey will identify the appetite for such a facility and best locations.

The health authority also had a cursory meeting with Kelowna city
council on Monday to inform them of where they're at in the process.

Although the plan is still in the consultation phase, there's an
impetus to get something up-and-running sooner than later, said Mema,
noting that Kelowna could see 40 drug related deaths by the end of
2016, doubling the amount of drug-fatalities from the previous year.

"These are preventable deaths," she said, adding that a safe injection
site, if implemented with other measures, could go a long way in
lowering that number.

Making it easier to move into action is that the site, once built,
will be on a much smaller scale than InSite-the Vancouver safe
injection facility.

"It would basically be a stainless steel counter with three or four
chairs and one or two nurses there to supervise in case a user needs
health care," said Mema.

"It would probably be in a facility where clean needles and things of
that kind are already provided.

"This is new. It's an innovation for Kelowna, if we go ahead and do it
here. What is holding us back is planning and also the community… we
need to engage with the community to move this forward."

In order to open a facility of this kind, the health authority needs
to ask for permission from Health Canada to be exempted from Section
56 under the Controlled Drug and Substances Act.

Their application has to include the community perspective, which
includes a summary of what neighbours think about the idea.

"We are currently looking for viable sites and then when we know that
then we can ask the neighbours," she said.

Although the facility will likely be placed in a commercial
neighbourhood, the health authority is prepared for community opposition.

"This is not a straightforward service," Mema said.

"These are controversial services because it addresses the needs of
people who are marginalized and people who are doing something
illegal, and there's a stigma around that.

"People think these individuals shouldn't be entitled to health
services like others who don't engage in illegal activity."

And, while the facility would simply be a safe space to inject drugs,
it would also provide a bridge for people who use drugs to enter into
the health system.

"Maybe, eventually, someone would be ready to engage in services like
detox and that will put them out of the misery of their addiction,"
said Mema.

"They don't have to look for help, but when they are ready they know
it is there if they need it and that's an advantage because these are
people that wouldn't get it otherwise."

Mayor Colin Basran has expressed support for a safe injection site,
but said the city has little to do with any operation. It's driven by
the province and IHA.
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MAP posted-by: Matt