UN REPORT UNWITTINGLY MAKES THE CASE FOR PRESCRIBING DRUGS TO ADDICTS

Political opposition to Insite, Vancouver's supervised injection
site, is nothing new. But more often than not, such opposition serves
to highlight the scientific evidence in favour of the site.

Now the most recent criticism, from the United Nations, might
actually help to support the cause of providing prescription drugs to
opiate and stimulant addicts.

The UN's International Narcotics Control Board recently said it will
advise federal Health Minister Tony Clement to shut down Insite
because it violates the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

This is not a new concern, as the issue of violating treaties was
raised prior to the opening of Insite. But Insite's status under
international law is not nearly as clear as the board seems to think.

According to Article 4 of the treaty, parties must "limit exclusively
to medical and scientific purposes the . . . distribution of, trade
in, use and possession of drugs."

The board concludes that Insite violates this article because, rather
than operating for medical or scientific purposes, it exists to get
"public nuisances off the streets." Now while it's true that Insite
has helped to improve public order in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside,
that was never its purpose.

Instead, the site, which was created under an exemption to the
Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, exists to assess the efficacy of
such medical interventions in improving the health of addicts and
their communities. To that end, the B.C. Centre for Excellence in
HIV/AIDS has been acting as an external monitor of Insite.

Consequently, the site is permitting the possession and use of drugs
for medical and scientific purposes, which would seem to be in
keeping with Article 4. Indeed, this is the conclusion Health Canada
lawyers came to before Insite was opened. Also, according to the
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, the board's pronouncements on
supervised injection sites "have controvened the findings of the
board's own legal advisers."

The board, therefore, seems to be mistaken, but if it isn't, let's
consider what that means. Local health officials could shut down the
site, as the board advises, or they could ensure that addicts are
provided with drugs in a medical setting.

This is precisely what is occurring in the North American Opiate
Medication Initiative (NAOMI) trials, and what Vancouver Mayor Sam
Sullivan plans to do by setting up trials providing stimulant addicts
with substitute drugs.

The board seems to have no problem with these solutions and for good
reason. Unlike Insite, addicts in the NAOMI trials don't have to rely
on drug dealers, and can be assured of the purity of the drugs they're taking.

The medical provision of drugs appears to be a far better
intervention than a supervised injection site. And thanks to the UN
report, the world will be able to see that.