Edmonton and Lethbridge have been approved for a safe drug consumption site. Calgary will likely get the green light by the end of this month.
LISTEN: Calgary Today Five part series on Safe Consumption Sites
It’s a tough concept to wrap your head around; providing a safe and legal location for people to inject or consume a dangerous and illegal product. However, I believe it’s the right thing to do in light of failed drug policies of the past.
LISTEN: Arches executive director Stacey Bourque on news that a safe consumption site has been approved in Lethbridge
Ultimately, we don’t want anyone to become an addict – but that’s not the reality. So how do we deal with rising overdoses and rising crime rates? The criminal route has filled our prisons with people who aren’t getting the help they need.
It’s time we treat it as a public health issue.
Safe consumption sites allow health care providers to interact with addicts. It means fewer people are going to die from overdoses.
LISTEN: Learning how safe consumption sites work on Calgary Today
However, the key is location. Injection sites should be in hospitals or established medical clinics. They can’t be in residential neighbourhoods.
WATCH BELOW: Alberta Health Services hopes to open safe injection site in Calgary
For the last few years, Alberta has lost many lives to the opioid crisis. Providing naloxone kits and increasing access to treatment programs have been baby steps.
It’s time we recognize that addicts need help. Pretending they don’t exist isn’t going to make the problem go away.
LISTEN: Tom Vernon shares the latest updates on Calgary Today