SAFE-INJECTION SITE SET TO OPEN TODAY

Up to 800 Drug Users Are Expected to Visit Facility Every Day

After years of planning, debating, researching and lobbying, North
America's first supervised injection site is set to open its doors
today.

In the coming months, up to 800 intravenous drug users are expected to
visit the storefront space on East Hastings every day to inject heroin
or cocaine under the supervision of nurses and counsellors.

While they're there, users will be able to talk to one of four drug
and alcohol counsellors, learn how to shoot up as safely as possible
and ultimately avoid overdosing.

"My biggest hope is that we see less people die," said Vancouver Mayor
Larry Campbell.

"It's certainly not a silver bullet and the next day we're not going
to wake up and find ourselves in a new city, but over time I think
that we will see a difference.

"We will see less people dying, less people getting diseases, less
visibility on the street and I think that we'll see this as a
recognized way of dealing with a medical problem."

Since January, 37 people have died of drug overdoses in Vancouver,
Campbell said. Switzerland, Germany, Holland and Australia all have
supervised injection programs.

Philip Owen, Vancouver's former mayor, began lobbying for a safe place
for intravenous drug users in 1997.

The space that will be welcoming drug users is newly renovated and
"first class," according to Charles Parker, president of both the
Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users and the B.C. Association of
People on Methadone.

"It's really top notch," Parker said.

Although the site was set to open in less than 24 hours, it was kept
secure and hidden from any outsiders Sunday afternoon. Boards still
covered the entire front wall and, in the back lane, a tall metal
fence blocked access while a surveillance camera pointed at the door.

Apparently though, it's quite welcoming inside.

"It feels comfortable and it feels right," Campbell said. "I was
always worried that it might be a little clinical, but it isn't."

The 1,200-square-foot space has 12 booths for injecting in a back
room. In front, users will be greeted by a receptionist and there will
be desks where other staff members will hand out syringes, swabs,
alcohol and clean water. The site will be open 18 hours a day.

Once a person has used, they have the option of going into the "cool
down" or "chill out" room, where they can have juice or something to
eat before heading back out to the streets.

The site will cost $2 million a year to run, which will be paid during
its first year by the ministry of health. It's being co-managed by the
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and the Portland Hotel Society. An
evaluation will be done by researchers Evan Wood and Mark Tyndall of
the Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS.

Parker is thrilled about the site's opening day, but cautioned it will
likely take time for users to warm up to the idea of injecting their
drugs in a government-run facility.

"It's hard to convince people it's a safe and welcoming place," he
said.

"But this is such a great thing for our country. This is such a bold
move for Canada."

Around the corner from the new site though, there were several drug
users in a back lane who were skeptical about a supervised injection
site.

Rick McGowan said he has lived in the Downtown Eastside since he was a
child and has been using various drugs since he was 13 years old.

While he's not opposed to it being in the neighbourhood, McGowan
doesn't believe the site will save lives or change the landscape of
the area.

"It won't change a thing," he said. "It's a waste of tax money. What
we need is more detox [centres]."

Campbell concedes that it might take time for users to warm up to the
idea and the site will not be without its problems, but said those
involved are willing to work out kinks as they arise.

"I think that there will be mistakes made, there will be protocols
that will have to be adjusted or changed and we will do that,"
Campbell said.

"We have said from day one that we are not afraid to try new things
and if it's not working we'll change things.

"That's what you have to do when you are pioneering."