Victoria councillors are advocating for more supervised inhalation sites in an effort to increase harm reduction strategies within the opioid crisis.
In a motion forwarded to council this week, Coun. Marianne Alto, Coun. Sarah Potts, Coun. Jeremy Loveday and Coun. Ben Isitt, ask the Province, local health authorities, the Ministry of Health and Addictions and the Ministry of Health to provide more observed inhalation sites for people smoking illicit B次元官网网址� and possibly tainted B次元官网网址� drugs.
B次元官网网址淭here are many folks in our community who deal with addictions and drug use, and that takes many forms,B次元官网网址� said Alto. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e noticed that thereB次元官网网址檚 a significant portion of people who smoke B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 the second most common way they consume drugs.B次元官网网址�
Vancouver IslandB次元官网网址檚 largest supervised injection site, The Harbour, opened at 941 Pandora Ave. in June 2018, but the location does not offer safe inhalation services.
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B次元官网网址淲hen that opened up it worked really well B次元官网网址� it did the job, which was to keep people from dying,B次元官网网址� Alto said. B次元官网网址淭he same argument can be used for a supervised site for injection as for one for safe inhalation.B次元官网网址�
Rock Bay Landing is the only location in Victoria with a safe inhalation tent, which was installed a year-and-a-half ago as part of its overdose prevention services.
B次元官网网址淎nything you can smoke can potentially be laced,B次元官网网址� said Joann Connolly, manager at Rock Bay Landing, B次元官网网址淧eople were smoking around the building and not in a designated area, and in wet weather there was an increase of people trying to sneak smoking into the building.B次元官网网址�
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Connolly noted when people were scattered, it was hard for staff to keep track in case anyone overdosed.
The drug inhalation tent sits in the Rock Bay Landing courtyard, but its simple design has been very effective, Connolly said.
The white pop-up tent is the typical kind seen at any local event; itB次元官网网址檚 weighed down and has clear walls on three sides that allow staff to observe smokers from a distance.
Drugs, just like anything else, have trends and in the past three years smoking drugs has become a lot more popular.
B次元官网网址淧eople believe injecting heroin puts you at greater risk, so smoking it has become more popular, though of course it can also be laced with fentanyl,B次元官网网址� Connolly said. B次元官网网址淐rystal meth has also become more popular.B次元官网网址�
Since the tent was installed, Rock Bay Landing has seen significant success.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been excellent. The overdoses have gone down dramatically, and when they happen theyB次元官网网址檙e typically in the courtyard,B次元官网网址� Connolly said. B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 a great service, itB次元官网网址檚 well-used and it saves lives, and thatB次元官网网址檚 what itB次元官网网址檚 all about.B次元官网网址�
The proposed motion is not specific to more tents or a different site. If passed on Thursday, the motion will be forwarded to the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities in April, and the Union of B.C. Municipalities in September before the province can take any action.
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