Pubdate: Sat, 10 Jun 2017
Source: Record, The (Kitchener, CN ON)
Copyright: 2017 Metroland Media Group Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.therecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/225
Author: David Kuhn
Page: A10

SAFE INJECTION SITES NOT THE ANSWER

Re: Supervised injection sites to be considered by region - June 7

Whenever I see or hear someone talking about supervised injection
sites, I can't help but hear "they're going to do it anyway ..." in
the back of my mind, because that's the rationale that people who are
for injection sites use. Only, these people usually add something like
"at least they'll be safe ..." to further justify their position that
this is helping addicts.

Clearly, we have a drug problem in this region - we have a national
problem - and I think that local authorities should be working with
agencies and groups to help those in our community with substance
abuse issues who are battling and struggling with addiction.

But I do not think that the answer is a 'safe' space for addicts to do
drugs - that's not the right message or the right approach. The
message and the approach should be focused on prevention instead of
enabling the drug use.

There's nothing safe about giving someone a needle so they can stick
it in their arm and inject themselves with their drug. If we do that,
we're just fooling ourselves and providing opportunities for addicts
to sink deeper into the hole that is addiction instead of climbing out
of it.

David Kuhn

Kitchener
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MAP posted-by: Matt