HARPER HAS A DUTY TO GATHER ALL THE EVIDENCE ABOUT THE INJECTION SITE

At an election campaign stop in British Columbia in December, Prime
Minister Stephen Harper said "We as a government will not use
taxpayers' money to fund drug use."

Obviously, this comment was directed at Insite, Vancouver's safe
injection site, and it does reflect the views of the site's
detractors. Indeed, the greatest concern among those opposed to the
site is that it will keep addicts on drugs rather than help them to
quit the habit.

But a new study published on Wednesday in the world's top medical
journal, the New England Journal of Medicine, suggests that the site
might actually be helping addicts to enter detoxification programs
rather than facilitating drug use.

The authors, from the University of British Columbia and the B.C.
Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, found that "an average of at least
weekly use of the supervised injection facility and any contact with
the facility's addictions counsellor were both independently
associated with more rapid entry into a detoxification program."

The authors caution that it's not clear if these factors are the
cause of people entering detox. For example, it's possible that those
who are more concerned about their health are more likely to both use
the site and enter detox. But what is clear is that there is no
evidence the site is discouraging people from seeking treatment.

Consequently, Insite's detractors' greatest concern is unfounded. And
Harper's concern about using government money to fund drug use seems
a bit overstated, since the site might well be helping to decrease drug use.

One would think, then, that the Harper government would throw its
support behind the program. But instead, Harper reaffirmed recently
that the feds remain "not committed" to extending the life of the
site, and said he wants to talk to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police first.

This is a bizarre statement for several reasons. First, if Harper
wants to talk to any police force, it should be the Vancouver Police
Department, which has jurisdiction over the area where Insite is
situated. Second, Harper seems blissfully unaware, not just of the
New England Journal of Medicine study, but of the more than a dozen
other studies that have demonstrated the site's positive impact on
addicts and the community.

These studies, which were all published in peer-reviewed academic
journals, found that Insite led to a significant decrease in public
disorder, that Insite users were less likely to share needles, that
the site was predominantly attracting high-risk drug-users, that
there has been no increase in drug-related crime since the site
opened, and that the site is not a negative influence on those who
wish to stop using.

The evidence in favour of Insite is so overwhelming that police
chiefs in Great Britain have backed a proposal to open supervised
injection sites in that country. Given that people across the
Atlantic are familiar with the evidence about Insite, it's more than
a little troubling if our own prime minister is not.

But since Harper must soon make a decision about the future of the
site, it's time for him to familiarize himself with the evidence. If
he's truly committed to tackling the drug problem, he'll support the
continuation and expansion of the site, as well as its integration
into a comprehensive program involving detox, treatment, health care
and housing.