Pubdate: Fri, 24 Feb 2017 Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB) Copyright: 2017 The Edmonton Journal Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v17/n073/a02.html Author: Connor Meeker Page: 10 SAFE INJECTION SITES AREN'T A THREAT Re. "Support services key to safe injection sites," Opinion, Feb. 18 I applaud police Chief Rod Knecht's commitment to establishing supervised injection sites in Edmonton, and his recognition that people facing addiction are better helped through compassion than punishment. However, his claim that these sites "[risk] jeopardizing community compassion due to the resulting scourge of discarded needles, increased criminal activity, social disorder and neighbourhood degradation" is baseless. Multiple studies have shown that after Vancouver's supervised injection site (INSITE) opened in 2003, there was no increase in crime, violence, drug trafficking, or the number of intravenous drug users in the surrounding community. In fact, the number of publicly discarded syringes and people injecting in public spaces actually decreased. Claims that supervised injection sites lead to negative social effects are based on fallacious assumptions that have failed to materialize - and giving them credence perpetuates false and harmful myths about these sites. Connor Meeker, Edmonton - --- MAP posted-by: Matt