Pubdate: Tue, 31 Oct 2017
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2017 The Edmonton Journal
Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Petra Schulz
Page: A7

MP MISSES POINT OF SAFE INJECTION SITES

Re. "MP hosts impassioned debate over supervised injection sites in
southwest," Oct. 30

The title should have been "MP misses the point." Supervised
consumption services (SCS) primarily save lives, and anyone who has
lost a loved one can tell you how important that is.

Our son Danny died from an overdose in 2014. He was only 25, was a
promising young chef and is dearly missed. There are many families
like ours who are members in our group Moms Stop The Harm, who live in
MP Matt Jeneroux's riding of Edmonton-Riverbend. I encourage him to
meet them.

Supervised consumption services don't "condone" drugs; they increase
the numbers who access treatment. They reduce emergency room use and
disease.

I agree SCS are not the solution for Riverbend at this point. SCS are
not a one-size-fits-all. The many victims who use and die home alone
in suburban communities require a different approach.

We need to reduce stigma, provide good drug safety information and
bring harm reduction, including needle exchanges, Naloxone
distribution and opioid dependency treatment, closer to them in
primary care. How we can make this happen should have been the topic
of discussion.

Petra Schulz, Co-founder Moms Stop The Harm, Edmonton
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MAP posted-by: Matt