JUNKIES NEED TO SHOOT UP? THEN MOVE TO

[whocares 0]

Canada Plans Injection Site for Addicts
By JEREMY HAINSWORTH
ASSOCIATED PRESS

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - Canada will open North America's first legal safe-injection site for drug addicts later this year, a decision that drew swift criticism from White House drug czar John Walters.

The so-called "shooting gallery" will be federally funded, a 12-seat facility where addicts will be given the equipment they need to inject safely under the supervision of nurses, said Viviana Zanocco, spokeswoman for the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, which will run the program.

It will open in September in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, an impoverished neighborhood known for crime and drug use, under funding the federal government announced this week.

"They would shoot up under supervision," Zanocco said Thursday. After injecting, the users will be monitored in a "chill-out" room to check for overdoses, she said.

The site will be exempt from federal drug laws to allow heroin and cocaine users to use it without fear of arrest.

"It makes us the first health authority in Canada to have this exception that hopefully will allow us to establish scientifically whether supervised injection sites can improve health outcomes and reduce harm to drug users," Zanocco said.

Similar safe-injection programs have been set up in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia and Germany. While the sites are credited with reducing overdose deaths and the spread of disease, specialists say the effect on addiction rates is unclear.

Walters, the White House Director of National Drug Control Policy, said in a telephone interview Thursday the program shows an appalling indifference to addiction.

"Drug abuse is a deadly disease," Walters said. "It's immoral to allow people to suffer and die from a disease we know how to treat."

He also called the concept "a lie," saying "there are no safe injection sites."

Canada already has irritated Walters and U.S. security officials with a proposal to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Asa Hutchinson, undersecretary for border and transportation security in the Department of Homeland Security, warned Thursday that such moves will bring tighter border controls against drug trafficking from Canada.

"We're concerned about the increased drug activity coming from Canada," Hutchinson said during a visit to Seattle.

The United States is "adjusting as necessary our border inspections to address those concerns that we have," Hutchinson said. That means longer lines that slow the flow of commerce between the North American neighbors that share the world's largest trade relationship, worth more than $1 billion a day.

Zanocco called the safe-injection program a way to help addicts begin rehabilitation. The federal funding of $900,000 requires a government research program on drug use.

Ann Livingston of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users said allowing addicts to inject at supervised sites will reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, while protecting them from arrest on the streets.

"It is simply a public health initiative to do what's logical and compassionate and effective," she said.

About 4,000 addicts live in the 15-square-block Downtown Eastside, which has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world.

Mayor Larry Campbell, a former police office and coroner, won election last year on a platform that promised safe injection sites as part of a "four pillar" drug policy involving treatment, prevention, harm reduction and enforcement.

Vancouver's police department was criticized by Human Rights Watch in April for a crackdown on drug dealers in the area. Police denied targeting users, saying they focused on dealers, but critics said the crackdown would alienate drug users from social services, leading to an increase in disease and death.

Livingston said creating safe-injection sites was a positive step, rather than going soft on drug use. She worries that opponents will create obstacles to its proper establishment.

"We'll be watching to make sure that it isn't put forward as a program that's designed to fail, that it isn't so restrictive that the people who you want to come in don't come in," she said

[PhillyKev 0]

That's great. A program that actually might help drug addicts to overcome their addiction instead of just brushing them aside or incarcerating them. Good job, Canada.

[DJL 235]

I agree. Places like this allow health organizations to make closer studies of addiction and treatment. This can only be good.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[Push 0]

Wow, someone who actually treats drug addicts like humans with a problem instead of vermin to step on.

-- Toggle Whippin' Yahoo
Skydiving is easy. All you have to do is relax while plummetting at 120 mph from 10,000' with nothing but some nylon and webbing to save you.

[billvon 3,092]

>That's great. A program that actually might help drug addicts to
> overcome their addiction instead of just brushing them aside or
> incarcerating them.

I would agree - if it is an integrated part of an overall plan to get them off drugs (like, say, a stepdown program.) I hope it's not just a place for drug addicts to take drugs more safely.

[PhillyKev 0]

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>That's great. A program that actually might help drug addicts to
> overcome their addiction instead of just brushing them aside or
> incarcerating them.

I would agree - if it is an integrated part of an overall plan to get them off drugs (like, say, a stepdown program.) I hope it's not just a place for drug addicts to take drugs more safely.

What if it is? At least they'll be in a clean environment and not in a shooting gallery where they can be mugged/raped/murdered. And I'm sure there'll be the opportunity for them to seek out help if they're ready.

Sure, a step down program would be even better. But anything is better than ignoring the problem of addiction and thinking that border patrols and incarcerating addicts is going to do anyone any good.

[CrazyIvan 0]

Ok, there is something I don't understand, if you create 'safe homes' or 'facilities' for drug addicts so they can shoot up in a 'safe way', what about other addictions?, will they create safe 'booze facilities' and 'rape facilities' and so on?, I wonder if murder will be legal soon.

I think there are other methods to clean these poor people, otherwise, they are only promoting addictions.

My 2 cents.

__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[DJL 235]

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will they create safe 'booze facilities' and 'rape facilities' and so on?, I wonder if murder will be legal soon.

Ok, you're right, I now disagree with this. Ppppfffthhttttt!!!!

Edit to say: Young padwan use very simplistic arguement and gets just as stupid a response.
.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[Muenkel 0]

Suddenly CrazyIvan is not so Crazy.

Chris

_________________________________________
Chris

[PhillyKev 0]

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will they create safe 'booze facilities'

Yeah, they're called bars.

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and 'rape facilities'

Last I checked, you don't rape yourself.

Please explain to me how this will promote addiction? Do you think people will walk in there by accident and say "hmmm...think I like the look of these junkies, I should try what they've got."

[DJL 235]

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Last I checked, you don't rape yourself.

Depends on how much I've had to drink. Sometimes I just had it coming.
.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[CrazyIvan 0]

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Last I checked, you don't rape yourself.

Bud, not all addictions are SELF-inflicting, rape is an addiction.

Now when I said promotng addictions I'm refering to spreading the message: "It's ok if you have a <...blank...> addiction, come here and go nuts, no one will bother you" instead of creating a comprehensive program to erradicate that addiction.

Picture this, a young person who gets hooked on say heroin, his/her life will be fucked up, his/her parents will do the impossible to clean him/her up, but instead, he/she runs away to a 'safe facility' and do it to his/her hearts content. Where is the benefit? Where is the cure?

__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[Slowfaller 0]

My quesion is what is going to happen if someone does overdose in one of those facilities? And ends up dying. Are warning lables going to be on all of the syringes? Caution: May kill you. Like Caution: Coffee is hot

Chris

--"Someday you will die and somehow somethings going to steal your carbon" -MM

[PhillyKev 0]

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but instead, he/she runs away to a 'safe facility' and do it to his/her hearts content. Where is the benefit? Where is the cure?

The benefit is that they're currently running away to shooting galleries and the streets. Where's the cure? There isn't one. There's only prevention, and that comes from education.

[CrazyIvan 0]

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The benefit is that they're currently running away to shooting galleries and the streets. Where's the cure? There isn't one. There's only prevention, and that comes from education.

I don't see a point on that.

__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[DJL 235]

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Picture this, a young person who gets hooked on say heroin, his/her life will be fucked up, his/her parents will do the impossible to clean him/her up, but instead, he/she runs away to a 'safe facility' and do it to his/her hearts content. Where is the benefit? Where is the cure?

Don’t compare this to other addictions. That’s just an attempt to dilute the issue with a BS argument you can make about gambling or whatever other addictions.

Picture this: you’re a parent and unbeknownst to you, your child does heroin. Do you want them to shoot up at a crackhouse in the ghetto where police hardly roam or in a place where there are medical personnel who will make a record who comes in and out, will provide medical help if something goes wrong, and will give treatment when your child needs it. The answer to addiction is not to ignore it but to learn about it. This program helps addicts to gain trust in a system that they used to fear. It helps us to understand addiction and to find out how people start using drugs when before, the only time we saw it was in overdose situations. Now, would you rather have your child run away to the street or to a hospital?

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[whocares 0]

Well said Doug.

[CrazyIvan 0]

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Don’t compare this to other addictions. That’s just an attempt to dilute the issue with a BS argument you can make about gambling or whatever other addictions.

Ok, so you're saying some addictions are 'OK' and some others don't, I don't believe in that.

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Picture this: you’re a parent and unbeknownst to you, your child does heroin. Do you want them to shoot up at a crackhouse in the ghetto where police hardly roam or in a place where there are medical personnel who will make a record who comes in and out, will provide medical help if something goes wrong, and will give treatment when your child needs it.

Now, would you rather have your child run away to the street or to a hospital?

I wouldn't allow my child run away anywhere, but to get THERAPY and drop that addiction, screw the 'nurses and their care' I want my child CLEAN, and by that I mean NO DRUGS AT ALL.

__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[FliegendeWolf 0]

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his/her parents will do the impossible to clean him/her up,

You cannot do anything to clean someone else up.

A One that Isn't Cold is Scarcely a One at All

[billvon 3,092]

>What if it is? At least they'll be in a clean environment . . .

I disagree that the government should assist someone in harming themselves, even if they do so in an attempt to simply injure rather than kill someone. If you want to deregulate heroin and have heroin bars, fine, objective accomplished. Even if that happens, the government has absolutely no role in encouraging heroin use.

>But anything is better than ignoring the problem of addiction . . .

A program that encourages addiction is worse than ignoring the problem.

[CrazyIvan 0]

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You cannot do anything to clean someone else up.

True, but if you care, you'll find the right place to take him/her and get cleaned up, is up to the 'patient' but he or she will need support to get rid of it, not encouragement to continue.

__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[CrazyIvan 0]

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>I disagree that the government should assist someone in harming themselves

>A program that encourages addiction is worse than ignoring the problem.

EXACTLY!!!

__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[AggieDave 6]

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Last I checked, you don't rape yourself.

You're acting like doing drugs is a victim-less crime.

I disagree.

I've had family members addicted to herion before, as well as another guy that was a total coke head. To say that it was a victim-less crime and that they were only hurting themselves would lead me to believe you've never been around this.

It absolutely devastates their loved ones who are trying their best to help, it can destroy families and the people in their family's lives.

So I guess what you're saying is that it is ok to do what you want and not give a fuckall about the people in your life.

(sorry, but obviously this issue has really hit a close-to-home nerve)

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[whocares 0]

True, but if you care, you'll find the right place to take him/her and get cleaned up, is up to the 'patient' but he or she will need support to get rid of it, not encouragement to continue. ***

Sorry does not work that way. People get cleaned up when they are ready. No one can make a person clean up. The might help stop it for some time but they need to hit a bottom and want to get help and sober up.

[DJL 235]

"Ok, so you're saying some addictions are 'OK' and some others don't, I don't believe in that."

I said don't scream that the sky is falling.

“I wouldn't allow my child run away anywhere, but to get THERAPY and drop that addiction, screw the 'nurses and their care' I want my child CLEAN, and by that I mean NO DRUGS AT ALL.”

You can’t have that kind of control over your child, you can only give guidance. What, are you going to make that a house rule:
-Make bed every day.
-Take out trash.
-Don't run away when you try drugs and like it.

For example my best friend’s brother who came from a very wealthy and educated family. They didn’t see him for a year because he’d become addicted to heroin. He finally checked himself into a recovery center and found himself next to a woman who had gotten so fucked up that she killed her own child. They had no idea where he was until he cleaned up and got out. You really think that YOU can control your child so much that you could get them to stop something that they did behind your back in the first place? Good luck.

Next, most addicts are not from middle income loving families. How about those people?. Are you going to take care of them too or leave them in the gutter?

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher