Programs
Keep Insite Open (0 Members)
Keep Insite Open
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Program Summary Insite is North America’s only safe, clean injection site located in the Downtown East Side(DTES) of Vancouver. It opened its doors in September 2003 through an exemption of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA, Section 56). Insite serves intravenous drug users, a marginalized population that frequently experiences oppression as they are viewed as persons who are weak or flawed. This oppression impacts their ability to access essential services such as health care and employment as well as their willingness to talk about the addiction. By providing a safe, open and clean place, stigma is decreased and barriers are broken down. Some Research Findings There have been many independent empirical research studies that have focused on Insite. Within this research some findings have included; ? Increase in detox and addiction treatment ? Decrease in thefts in DTES ? Decrease in public injections and needle sharing ? Increase use for high-risk drug users (people who are more vulnerable to infections) ? Increase understanding of safe injection practices ? 750-900 Visits/day. 257, 575 visits per year. More than 10,000 unique individuals registered at Insite ? No fatalities despite 200 yearly overdoses ? 3,862 first aid interventions ? 2, 269 referrals to community and health care services ? 65% Community Support in Vancouver ? Expert Advisory committe report to Tony Clment found that a majority of the DTES community ish to see it kept open ? Conservative cost-benefit ratio 1.5:4.02 ? Used insite to administer 6,000 immunizations in 4 weeks which was seen as an “unprecedented success” (Vancouver Coastal Health, 2008 at http://www.vch.ca/sis/) Program Details We have launched a petition to Mr. Harper in regards to keeping Insite open. The petition and more information can be found at http://www.gopetition.com/online/28423.html |
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