The Safe Injection Site

Vancouver’s safe injection site is danger of disappearing. I’m reprinting the news alert from Vision Vancouver, which contains the relevant info:

Vancouver’s safe injection site, Insite, requires a Health Canada exemption in section 56 of Canada’s Controlled Substances Act in order to continue legally offering people a clean, safe place to inject illicit drugs under the supervision of clinical staff.

Scientific research has now concluded that Insite has been successful at preventing drug overdose deaths, reducing the spread of HIV and AIDS, reducing public disorder, and moving more people in detox and addiction treatment.

Insite has an average of 600 visits each day – injections that would have otherwise taken place in unsafe locations like alleys or hotel rooms.

There has never been a death at Insite, and 336 lives have been saved through overdose interventions.

Even with the substantial evidence proving Insite’s benefit to individuals and the community, Prime Minister Stephen Harper remains “not committed” to the project.

On September 12th, 2006, Insite will be made illegal unless enough citizens urge the Prime Minister to do the right thing and renew the Health Canada exemption required to continue Insite’s life saving work.

We are asking all Vision Vancouver supporters to please write Prime Minister Stephen Harper right now to help keep Vancouver’s Safe Injection Site saving lives in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa
K1A 0A2
Fax: 613-941-6900
pm@pm.gc.ca

You can also show your support for the safe injection site by filling out and sending the pre-written email to Stephen Harper at the Insite website.

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