INSITE RESEARCH DOESN'T FIT CONSERVATIVES' IDEOLOGY

Re: Insite extension intensifies the debate, The Daily Special, Oct. 3

The federal government says that it needs more evidence before it
sanctions the long-term operation of Insite. My question is: What
exactly have government officials been reading these past few years?
Evidently, not the same things as I have.

The research regarding Insite's impact on the Downtown Eastside
community has been resoundingly positive. Since it opened, Insite has
had no drug-overdose deaths, has been shown to reduce needle-sharing
and unsafe needle disposal and to increase the number of addicts
referred to addiction counselling. Despite attracting hundreds of
drug users a week, no research thus far has suggested an increase in
crime in the surrounding area.

If federal policy-makers believe they lack information regarding the
subject, I would suggest they read the reports by Kerr et al., 2007;
Petrar et al., 2007; Stoltz et al., 2007; Tyndall et al., 2006; Wood
et al., 2006 and 2004 -- to name a few.

There already exists a reasonable amount of information to justify
the long-term extension of Insite's exemption from the Controlled
Drugs and Substances Act. The government's refusal to do this is
obviously driven by ideology, and not by the research politicians so
loudly proclaim king.

Jennifer Lyle

Burnaby