New supervised injection site opening in the Downtown Eastside
Posted July 27, 2017 10:45 am.
Last Updated July 27, 2017 12:37 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Vancouver is officially getting a new supervised injection site tomorrow and with it comes hope the number of overdose deaths will drop.
Drug users will only be able to inject at the new facility on Powell Street at Jackson, but Vancouver Coastal Health is hoping to change that.
It’ll be applying to Health Canada for an amendment that would allow oral and nasal consumption as well.
BC’s top doctor, Perry Kendall says it makes no sense to forbid other methods, arguing the effects of the drugs are the same.
“The risk of an overdose is roughly the same, the benefits of intervening are roughly the same, and the benefits of the getting somebody who isn’t necessarily injecting drugs but is still addicted to drugs into treatment is exactly the same.”
Kendall is thrilled to see the doors open to the five-booth facility, which is one of three sites approved by the federal government earlier this year for the Lower Mainland.
An unsanctioned site has already been operating there for several months.
