PUBLIC INJECTION SITE LIKELY REDUCES DRUG USE, STUDY FINDS

OTTAWA -- The Harper government's refusal to support North America's
only legal supervised drug-injection site is driven by ideology and
politics -- not research, two health scientists said yesterday after
the release of a new report on the Vancouver facility.

The report, published in a British medical journal, says Insite has
resulted in a 30 per cent increase in the use of detoxification programs.

This suggests that the site "has probably helped to reduce rates of
injection drug use among users of the facility," concluded the five
scientists at the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS in their
report, published in the June issue of Addiction.

Health Minister Tony Clement questioned whether research supported
Insite last September when he refused to grant a 31/2 -year permit extension.

"The government seems intent on ignoring scientific evidence to
pursue an ideological agenda at the expense of lives in the Downtown
Eastside," said co-author Dr. Julio Montaner.

He said the new conclusions answer Clement's questions about whether
Insite is contributing to lower drug use and fighting addiction.

The report said the average number of users entering detox programs
increased from 21.6 to 31.3 in the year after Insite opened.

"There have been many benefits of Insite in terms of public order and
reduced HIV risk," said co-author Dr. Evan Wood.

Erik Waddell, a spokesman for Clement, noted yesterday that the
government has followed through on its commitment to expand research
on safe injection sites.

Health Canada is commissioning a study costing up to $250,000 to
analyse health, public order, and operational issues as well as
"local contextual issues" relating to injection sites.