Pubdate: Fri, 17 Feb 2017
Source: London Free Press (CN ON)
Copyright: 2017 The London Free Press
Contact: http://www.lfpress.com/letters
Website: http://www.lfpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/243
Author: Dan Brown
Page: A2
Referenced: http://www.ohtn.on.ca/oisis/

HEALTH BOARD BACKS MOVES TOWARD CITY SAFE NEEDLE SITE

The members of the Middlesex-London Board of Health endorsed Thursday
evening a motion to take the "next steps" to set up a
supervised-injection site for drug users in London.

That essentially means determining what the method will be for moving
forward with the project. As part of that, there will be a public
consultation before setting up any such site, including talking to the
people in the chosen neighbourhood, including residents and business.

The first part of the three-pronged motion covered accepting a
feasibility study. Dr. Gayanne Hovhannisyan, the acting medical
officer of health, led the discussion.

The results of the study were released last week. It concluded
supervised injection services should be established in London,
preferably in downtown and/or Old East London.

The sites allow people to inject drugs under safe conditions and with
access to health care.

The sites are generally supported by health-care agencies focused on
harm reduction but are opposed by police forces and politicians.
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MAP posted-by: Matt