Safe Injection Sites a Possibility for Waterloo Area

Safe injection sites are being considered in the Waterloo region following a public health supervised injection site feasibility study. By looking at how many people use needle syringe programs, it is estimated that 4000 people in the Waterloo region use injection drugs with almost half using daily. Kitchener and south Cambridge are earmarked as the ideal locations for safe injection sites as they had more opioid overdoses than other areas in the region.

Study Results

Officials who conducted the study spoke with 146 injection drug users in person and via an online community feedback survey, garnering 3500 responses. Results of the online survey are similar to others in that local stakeholders are concerned about the stigma a site could bring to the area. For this reason, more than one site is recommended, including an option for a mobile site. A mobile site has the potential to bridge the gap in understanding and acceptance.

Of the injection drug users surveyed, 86% said they would use a safe injection site if it were available. Those who said they wouldn’t were concerned about their anonymity and privacy. Those who were pro-site said they appreciated the access to clean supplies, health care services, and less danger of overdose.

This initial study is the first step in a long process to getting safe injection sites to the communities. Community feedback sessions will take place in March. Following these, the city council will decide in April whether or not to greenlight the second part of the study. This next part would assess where the best location(s) would be for potential sites.

Safe Injection Sites Across Canada

Safe injection sites are becoming more common across Canada. The first legal site in North America opened in 2003 in Vancouver to help alleviate the health issues for users living in the Downtown Eastside; now provincial governments are looking at wider implementation. In Alberta’s opioid crisis response plan, supervised consumption services are an integral part of their approach to harm reduction. They use the term consumption as it allows for all kinds of drug users to use safely onsite. Many studies have shown the effectiveness of these sites in decreasing the spread of communicable diseases and other health risks associated with injection drug use. Most importantly, there is a distinct decrease in loss of life. If you are looking for a safe injection site near you, please contact our specialist for more information.

References:

• CBC: Region looks at 3 locations for supervised drug injection sites
• VCH: Supervised Injection Sites
• Alberta Government: Supervised Consumption Services

 

The post Safe Injection Sites a Possibility for Waterloo Area appeared first on Canada Drug Rehab.