Happenings

This just in: Toronto is trying to find a way to supervised injection to help save lives.

TORONTO – Liz Evans, Executive Director of the PHS Community Services Society which operates Vancouver’s Insite, North America’s first and only supervised injection facility will be hosting a public forum at 7 PM September 15, at Toronto City Hall. Everyone is Welcome.

On the table for discussion will be how other cities like Toronto can learn from Vancouver’s experiences in reducing drug related harm to individuals and the whole community.

“The tragic consequences of addiction are a serious concern for all Canadians, and a challenge for Canadian cities grappling with death, disease and public disorder caused by drug use,” said Evans. “After 6 years of Insite’s operation, we have accumulated over 40 scientific evaluations and reports, that would be useful for other cities, like Toronto, as they develop a comprehensive approach to dealing with addiction."

Providing users a clean safe place to inject drugs under the supervision of nurses, Insite has been proven to prevent drug overdose deaths, reduce the spread of disease, limit public disorder, and move more people into Detox and addiction treatment.

Despite more than 40 academic papers and reports Stephen Harper continues to ignore the evidence and remains unsupportive of Insite’s ongoing life-saving work. Currently Harper’s government is attempting to appeal a BC Supreme Court decision, which allows Insite to continue to operate citing section 7 of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms - protecting life and security of the person.

“BC Supreme Court Justice Ian Pitfield’s judgment recognized that the primary health care provided at Insite is vital” said Evans. “There is a broad consensus among doctors, public health officials, and scientists that addiction is a complex, chronic, and relapsing disease, and that Vancouver’s injection site is only one tiny piece, but an important piece, of the puzzle, of how we as a Society attempt to treat this serious illness humanely."

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More Information Please contact:

Mark Townsend 604-720-3050, PHS Community Services Society

Nathan Allen 604-833-0748, Insite for Community Safety



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