IT'S TIME TO GET GOING ON SAFE-INJECTION SITE

The B.C. Supreme Court decision on supervised injection sites is good
news for Insite, Vancouver's site.

It is also good news for Victoria.

It means that the Vancouver Island Health Authority is not required to
make an application to Health Canada for an exemption from the
Controlled Drugs and Substances Act before opening a site here.

It also means that if VIHA proceeds with the development of safe
consumption sites as medical facilities, they would also be exempt
from prosecution.

If the federal government tries to block such a development, it could
be sued based on this ruling.

The City of Victoria has recognized the need for a safe consumption
site as an integral component of the harm-reduction policy.

The province supported the continuation of Insite and would support
similar programs in other cities.

I asked Mayor Alan Lowe about Victoria's proposed safe consumption
site prior to the last municipal election. He assured me that the site
would happen during his term.

Now is the time to act.

Fred Mallach

Victoria