[ad_1]
Insite first opened in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside in 2003 as the first approved supervised drug consumption site in North America.
However, public pressure is driving changes in harm reduction strategies across the country.
on Monday, The Ontario government has passed a law that will ban websites from Within 200 metres of a school or childcare centre.
This means that 10 consumption locations, including five in Toronto, will close by 2025.
British Columbia politicians will be watching Ontario’s moves closely.
“The majority of our sites are not experiencing challenges, but there are some that are and we need to work with the community to resolve those challenges,” British Columbia Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said Wednesday.
Consumption sites are just one part of BC’s strategy to combat the illegal drug crisis, however, there is growing public awareness of the disruption these facilities can cause.
Get weekly health news
Receive the latest medical news and health information every Sunday.
The British Columbia Conservatives say they will implement a policy similar to Ontario’s.
“The definition of harm reduction has to include harm to the community. (When) we seek to reduce the harm associated with drug use, we have to consider the harm to the community,” Councilmember Eleanor Sturko told Global News.
The Ontario government is redirecting funds from site closures toward prevention and remediation.
Advocates in British Columbia warn that closing any drug rehabilitation facility will push drug use further to the brink and put lives at risk.
“Every time we change or remove services, we see a vulnerable segment of the population dispersed across town,” said Fred Cameron of SOLID Outreach.
On average, seven British Columbians die every day from toxic drugs.
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
[ad_2]
Source link
