Soon, likely by July or August, Vancouver will have the first sanctioned and supervised injection sites in North America for users of heroin and other illicit drugs.

There are 40 or 50 such sites in the world, in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia. Their effectiveness, the federal guidelines acknowledge, "remains to be demonstrated in terms of hard indicators and rigorous evaluation methods."

Sources of more information.
1. http://www.macleans.ca/xta-doc2/2003...th/56833.shtml
2. http://www.macleans.ca/xta-doc2/2003...th/56835.shtml

[ 03-13-2003, 02:19 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

Rather than injection sites I would much rather see an increase in the number of methadone clinics as well as making methadone treatment free. I feel we should be trying to get people away from herion and pointed to a better, more productive life.

Same here. These people usually take drugs BECAUSE they're on the streets, and stay there because they take drugs. Lovely little vicious cycle, like third world debt.

<font color="#ffccff">Not a serious suggestion here : but extermination sites would prove even safer for non-addicts. Just [img]graemlins/twocents.gif[/img] from the person who apparently doesn't care about anyone or anything...well except for honest hard working non addicts who shouldn't have to pay for them....before you get riled...my real thoughts are in the lines below:

Some one..George Carlin I think, suggested a three strikes rule. You should get three chances to dry out and get clean, after that....you have proven that you are a drain on society and are beyond help and should be supplied with a lethal does of your substance of choice.</font>

[ 03-13-2003, 03:03 PM: Message edited by: MagiK ]

Can't believe you just said what you said MagiK.

<font color=deeppink>Ditto. Would you implement that on other areas as well?

But I do like the notion of getting addicts of the street. [img]smile.gif[/img] As much for them as for the rest of the citizens. I wouldn´t want my kids to run around dealers for instance. [img]smile.gif[/img] </font>

Out of interest Magik, have you ever met an addict going through methadone therapy? Not just passed in the street, but talked with?

Dealers, now they are people who need seeing to. Apparently, they commonly give drugs to 10/11 year olds for nothing - they know that if the kid gets hooked, they wont have any choice but to pay. When someone thinks like that, there is IMHO no way they can be considered to be a part of society anymore.

[ 03-13-2003, 03:19 PM: Message edited by: andrewas ]

<font color="#ffccff">Andrew, can't say I ever met an actual Heroin addict, but in 1980-81 before they started random drug testing in the US military I lived with quite a few addicts and dealers and all through Highschool I was around dealers and addicts of various types all the time...I didn't grow up in a vaccum ya know. And the 70's were mui big on drug availability.

While I realize I am harsher on people (and my self) than some people, that is why we don't appoint me dictator so softer kinder people moderate my more stern views.

Three chances for a person (Im talking adults over 18 at this point...kids are a different issue) to have to clean up is enough. I think whoever it was that made the statement I posted, about three strikes, had mentioned that if the person didn't get clean in three attemtps, the chances of them ever getting clean was next to nothing.

I would prefer to help people who had the potential for becoming productive instead of throwing money down the drain on people who refuse the help they get.

Now, that said...I think the treatment clinics should be kept in better shape so that those who want to get clean and stick with it, can do so.

So in summation...pardon my bluntness, I could have been more diplomatic, but I prefer cutting through the PC speak and getting down to the point.</font>

I myself am opposed to government getting involved in getting people off drugs. If they will not pay for it themselves, why should those of us who don't do drugs pay? They got themselve into this mess, let them get themselves out.

Simple math. The cost of helping someone kick the drug/alcohol habit and become a productive member of society is less then the burden on the medical and criminal systems. The majority of people that have a drug/alcohol problem are in no shape to clean themselves up.

Also Magik you may have known many a heroin addict as it is a very easy habit to hide, even easier then alcoholism by some accounts. I've have work with several and never would have known if they had not confided in my after they cleaned up.