B.C. NURSES SIDE WITH INSITE SERVICE

Case to Determine Site's Future

B.C. nurses added their voice Monday to the cry to keep a safe
drug-injection site open in Vancouver.

At issue before the Supreme Court of Canada Thursday is whether
federal drug laws or provincial health interests have power over
Insite and whether shutting it down violates the human rights of drug
users.

The B.C. Nurses Union, alongside 13 other supporters, including the
B.C. government, head to Ottawa this week to argue that, in Insite's
case, health care should trump drug laws.

"Insite is a legitimate health-care service that saves lives," nurses'
union vicepresident Janice Buchanan said. "We're hoping that once and
for all the federal Conservative government will be forced to stop
fighting the evidence."

Insite has legally allowed drug addicts a clean, supervised space to
inject their own street drugs since 2003 due to exemptions from
possession and trafficking laws.

Recently the federal government didn't extend those exemptions,
arguing Insite fosters addictions and isn't in line with its tough on
crime agenda.

A spokeswoman for Leona Aglukkaq, federal health minister, said Monday
that the government wants to prevent people, particularly youth, from
becoming drug addicts in the first place.

"The focus of our National Anti-Drug Strategy is on prevention and
treatment for those with drug dependencies," Jenny Van Alstyne said.
"That's why we're putting drug dealers in jail and cracking down on
gangs and organized crime."

Last year, Insite staff referred 5,268 of 12,000 registered users to
social and health services, the vast majority of which were to detox
and addiction treatment.

Between 2004 and 2010 there were 1,418 overdoses at Insite, none of
which were fatal. Insite's operational budget is just under $3
million. More than 80 per cent of the Vancouver Coastal Health
Authority's total spending on addictions is used for treatment and
prevention.