Officials in Toronto are trying to partially open three safe- injection sites months earlier than anticipated, due to a rise in overdoses and deaths. Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto's medical officer of health, said"interim safe injection sites" will be opened at three Health Canada- approved permanent sites until renovations to the long-term facilities are complete. "We' re trying to open them as quickly as possible," she said, adding that, while she didn't have an exact date, the sites could be up and running in a matter of days. [continues 374 words]
Jailing addicts does nothing to stop substance abuse, says Michael Spratt. Last week, Ottawa's medical officer of health, Dr. Isra Levy, pledged Ottawa Public Health's support for "new evidence-based approaches" to combat the problems caused by illegal drugs including - wait for it - decriminalization. City Coun. Mathieu Fleury said, "It's a crazy thought, but it's a crazy thought that might actually have some merit." Fleury should be commended. Where Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson had cast off the shackles of evidence-based thinking to stand against the city's first safe consumption site, Fleury's open mindedness is a breath of fresh air. [continues 635 words]
B.C. is heading for another record year for fentanyl overdose deaths. Despite making Naloxone antidote kits widely available, the death rate is up 88 per cent over last year, which was also a record year. Last year, according to figures available online, B.C. had 935 deaths from drug overdoses. This year, the province had 780 deaths by the end of June. If the rate continues, the province will hit 1,400 deaths by the end of the year. But in the welter of data, I find two facts interesting. [continues 685 words]
B.C. is heading for another record year for fentanyl overdose deaths. Despite making Naloxone antidote kits widely available, the death rate is up 88 per cent over last year, which was also a record year. Last year, according to figures available online, B.C. had 935 deaths from drug overdoses. This year, the province had 780 deaths by the end of June. If the rate continues, the province will hit 1,400 deaths by the end of the year. But in the welter of data, I find two facts interesting. [continues 465 words]
It's unofficial - but welcome The tent went up at ten to four on Sunday - a big tan tarp slung over a metal base in the last ungentrified sliver of Toronto's downtown. Around it, tattooed volunteers shifted supplies: black naloxone kits, water bottles, baggies stuffed with sterilized needles and gear. "Don't you think this is so cool," Angie Austin said to a group of friends sitting on the grass nearby. "What is it?" one replied. "It is," she said, "a safe injection site." [continues 529 words]
In the wake of a recent spike in drug deaths in Toronto, municipal politicians have suddenly gone into overdrive suggesting ways to combat this scourge. In the space of a week we went from Mayor John Tory leading a plan to speed up the completion of three previously approved supervised drug injection sites in Toronto, to Board of Health Chairman Joe Mihevc suggesting it's time to consider decriminalizing heroin and other drugs. Clearly, it's time for everyone to slow down. [continues 411 words]
People on the frontlines of the opioid overdose crisis say they know exactly what needs to be done to save lives and tackle the "public health emergency." Build safe affordable housing, expedite the opening of the safe injection sties, expand the distribution of overdose-reversing naloxone and drug-testing kits, and increase funding for harm-reduction staff positions. At a news conference Friday beside a laundromat in a hardscrabble section of downtown Toronto, community health workers, drug users and anti-poverty activists were also united in their call to end the criminalization of drug use. [continues 504 words]
TORONTO - Harm reduction workers in Toronto are calling for the immediate opening of interim safe injection spaces and social housing with a focus on helping drug users as the city deals with a spike in opioid overdoses. The demands were among a list of measures issued by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty and other advocacy groups on Friday, as they called for a declaration of a public health emergency over the issue and asked for the wide distribution of drug testing kits in the city. [continues 348 words]
Former Ottawa police chief and current senator Vern White is applauding an opioid replacement program being set up by Ottawa Inner City Health. He has been calling for similar programs across the country. White planned to contact Wendy Muckle, the executive director of the non-profit health agency that works with Ottawa's homeless. "I am going to congratulate her on being willing to take on the bigger discussion around addiction," White said. "I guarantee this will make a difference in terms of crime." [continues 325 words]
Making everything legal 'crazy,' but might help, city officials say Decriminalizing all illegal drugs - not just marijuana - may help decrease the devastating effects of drug use and addiction in Ottawa, city officials said Wednesday. They were responding to a suggestion by Toronto's medical officer of health that such a drastic move could help address Canada's spiralling opioid crisis. Dr. Eileen De Villa told reporters last week the current approach to drugs in her city and across the country "doesn't seem to be having the desired impact." [continues 921 words]
The growing movement against allowing so-called safe drug injection sites is moving to another city. The Kent City Council will vote Tuesday night on a proposed moratorium on "community health engagement locations," also called supervised injection facilities. Renton, Federal Way, Auburn and Bellevue have already passed ordinances banning such sites. The ordinance going before Kent's City Council says there's no evidence that these sites reduce drug addiction. The Seattle-King County Health Department says someone dies from a heroin or opioid drug overdose every 36 hours in King County. That's more than auto crashes and ranks as the No. 1 cause of preventable death. [continues 191 words]
Mayor John Tory says now is not the time to engage in a divisive debate about decriminalizing heroin. Tory was reacting to comments made Friday by Board of Health Chair Joe Mihevc, who suggested the 'war on drugs' hasn't worked and it might be time for Toronto to try a new approach. Starting a discussion about decriminalizi rugs, like heroin, could be part of that approach, he added. Asked about Mihevc's comments Wednesday, Tory responded: "My answer to that would be 'not now.' " [continues 109 words]
Former Ottawa police chief and current senator Vern White is applauding an opioid replacement program being set up by Ottawa Inner City Health. He has been calling for similar programs across the country. White planned to contact Wendy Muckle, the executive director of the non-profit health agency that works with Ottawa's homeless. "I am going to congratulate her on being willing to take on the bigger discussion around addiction," White said. "I guarantee this will make a difference in terms of crime." [continues 409 words]
Dr. Richard Stanwick has been waiting a long time to see the opening of Victoria's first supervised consumption site. Now after more than 11 years, that dream is becoming a reality. Health Canada approved Island Health's application las week for a supervised consumption site at 941 Pandora Ave., to be named the Pandora Community Health and Wellness Centre. The site will offer integrated health services including mental health counselling, a nursing clinic and links to addiction treatment programs. "This is going to save lives If you think of a hub with many spokes, this is but one component that we're adding in terms of trying to address the opioid crisis," said Stanwick, Island Health's chief medical officer. [continues 322 words]
Any overdose death is a tragedy. It's a preventable death and I consider it my duty as mayor to ensure that the City of Toronto is doing everything it can to help prevent those tragedies. Each person who dies from an overdose is someone's son, daughter, friend or loved one. They are human beings and they should not be abandoned by society due to a particular addiction. I'm proud to have the women and men of Toronto's public service helping me in the fight against the overdose epidemic. [continues 561 words]
Province's new plan to fight overdose deaths requires coroners to log extensive information on victims A new mandate in British Columbia to collect comprehensive information on all fatal overdose victims aims to provide a fulsome look at why people use illicit drugs - from past medical issues to economic status - - to help curb problematic drug use and prevent overdose deaths. The BC Coroners Service's new Unintentional Drug Overdose Protocol requires coroners to fill out an 11-page document for every person who dies of a suspected overdose. The data gathering is the most ambitious in the country. Last week, B.C. released data showing 780 people died of opioid overdoses between January and June this year. The province has been the hardest hit by the opioid crisis that is rapidly spreading across Canada. [continues 578 words]
NEW YORK -- A safe haven where drug users inject themselves with heroin and other drugs has been quietly operating in the United States for the past three years, a report reveals. None were known to exist in the US until the disclosure in a medical journal, although several states and cities are pushing to establish these so-called supervised injection sites, where users can shoot up under the care of trained staff who can treat an overdose if necessary. In the report released Tuesday, two researchers said they've been evaluating an underground safe place that opened in 2014. As a condition of their research, they didn't disclose the location of the facility -- which is unsanctioned and potentially illegal -- or the social service agency running it. [continues 547 words]
If half a dozen deaths in Toronto last week were likely attributable to fatal opioid-related overdoses, how many do you think would have died if those drugs were legal? Fewer? I don't see the logic in that. Easier access to drugs and no criminal liability wouldn't discourage use, surely. And we're not talking here about a mild mind-bending substance such as pot, which is to become decriminalized in Canada next year. Still stupid - dumb-downing of the populace . . . but it is the consensus will of the nation - because we seem to be just fine with the stupefying effect of "recreational" marijuana and hash despite all the evidence of young lives going off the rails when teenagers toked to the gills lose interest in school and sports and healthy activities. [continues 920 words]
Re Top doctor calls for new drug approach, Aug. 5 British Columbia recorded 935 deaths due to drug overdose in 2016 and the number is projected to be 1,400 by the end of 2017. Approaches to this epidemic include the antidote naloxone, injection sites, education, etc. These are fine, but do not address the real problem, which is reducing drug availability by reducing the number of dealers and suppliers. Singapore and other counties have enacted laws that include capital punishment for dealers and suppliers of illicit drugs. Draconian, yes, but if we as a society have to choose between the deaths of dealers who knowingly destroy lives and families or deaths of thousands of our young adults, the decision is a no-brainer. [continues 109 words]
On top of city, region and provincial efforts, Matt Brown makes new bid to tackle local crisis, issues Another drug crisis, another drug strategy. In the midst of an ongoing London drug strategy, a regional drug strategy and a provincial drug strategy - none of them completed yet - the city's mayor wants his own drug strategy. But the new effort will be nimble with a concrete focus, battling opioid overdoses and other problems in large part through the establishment of a supervised injection site, city health leaders promise. [continues 571 words]