OTTAWA NEVER FUNDED DRUG INJECTION SITE

I have some good news for columnist Claire Hoy, who argued that
Ottawa should stop funding Vancouver's supervised injection site,
which he called "Insight" (Junk "harm reduction," Aug. 18.) The
federal government does not fund Insite, nor have they ever funded it.

The previous federal government funded a research project to study
the outcomes of Insite. Researchers concluded that the clinic reduces
public disorder, overdose deaths and the spread of infectious disease
and encourages patrons to seek treatment, explaining why most local
business owners and residents who were initially opposed to the
facility now support it.

Subsequent analysis by a federally appointed Health Canada committee
concurred that Insite neither encourages nor perpetuates drug use,
and that every tax dollar the B.C. government invests in harm
reduction saves several tax dollars downstream, in policing,
emergency services, health care costs, etc.

If Claire Hoy is sincerely concerned about the expense and
opportunity costs of harm reduction initiatives such as Insite,
perhaps he should read up on the subject. The federal government
could fund Insite for a year for what they waste on cannabis
prohibition in a week.

MATTHEW M. ELROD

Victoria, B.C.