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Suggested Predictions
Ziibos (12)
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Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) in partnership with the PHS Community Services Society opened North America's first legal supervised injection site (Insite) scientific research pilot project in September 2003. To operate legally, Health Canada granted VCH a three-year operating exemption under Section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, and has provided $500,000 per year to support the scientific research pilot project. The BC Ministry of Health provided $1.2 million to renovate the former retail space, and provides operating funding through Vancouver Coastal Health.
Ottawa allows the clinic to operate under a special exemption of the Narcotics Control Act, but so far has refused to make the exemption permanent. The latest permit extension expires at the end of June and supporters of Insite hope the court case will test the federal government's power to close the facility.
Comments (8)
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The judge gave Ottawa until June 30, 2009, to bring the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in line with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and gave Insite a constitutional exemption to stay open in the meantime.
source: http://canadianpress.google.com/artic...
In my opinion, I don't think injection site can help addicts quit the habbit. It is just a measure to restrict those addicts to one area. This can make the city look nice before 2010 olympic.
Vancouver has long trumpeted this "harm reduction" approach. IMHO, it is harm EXTENSION rather than reduction - what good does it to do a person using drugs if his/her habit is allowed to continue, even if he/she will not die from an overdose? I have actually questioned a city council's representative on this, to which I have received a ridiculous answer of "anyone who feels Insite should close just have no compassion to drug addicts dying because of an overdose." When I press that lady to answer my specific question, she refuses to answer me directly.