SUPERVISED FACILITIES FAIL IN PROMISE TO HELP DRUG ADDICTS

Ottawa - The British Columbia Coroner's Office
has revealed that the number of drug overdose related deaths has risen
in 2004 compared to 2003, despite the presence of two safe injection
sites.

44 overdose deaths were reported so far this year, three more than
last year. PHS Community Services Society, which operates Vancouver's
year-old Safe Injection Site (INSITE), promised the money spent on the
project had "helped reduce the deaths of drug addicts."

The Injection site receives a total of $1.4 million in funding, with
$370,000 of it going towards the salaries of its 15 staff workers. The
facility caters to injection drugs users as young as 16 years of age,
and offers them a place to bring their own drugs to inject under the
supervision of facility staff. Despite their "low threshold" approach,
Vancouver's injections sites have been unable to deliver on their
promise to prevent overdose deaths in the community and get people off
drugs. A recent study from INSITE reports only 6.3% of addicts using
the facility have being referred for treatment, and only 1% have been
sent to detox programs.

"I would seriously question the ability of injection sites to tackle
the drugs problem in this country. Not only have they failed to
curtail drug deaths, they have not placed the focus of their resources
on getting people off drugs, preferring to keep them on drugs,"
commented Abbotsford Member of Parliament Randy White.

Vancouver's other safe injection site, located at the Dr. Peter
Centre, has also been allowing addicts to inject under the supervision
of staff, or even in their private suites. With several injection
sites in operation for over a year, the number of overdose related
deaths and drugs addicts has not decreased.

"It's not enough to cover up the problem with so called "harm
reduction," commented White, "This is a clear indication that Canada
needs a National Drugs Strategy to prevent this kind of tragedy, and
safe injection sites are not the answer."