Green Party supports safe injection site

Ottawa (14 August 2006) - The federal government has a responsibility to extend Vancouver's pilot supervised injection program, which has been shown to save lives, reduce the spread of diseases and help addicts overcome substance dependency, said Green Party of Canada Health Advocate Chris Milburn today. InSite - Canada’s first and only supervised safe injection site - will face closure in September unless federal Minister of Health Tony Clement renews the program's current three year exemption from section 56 of the Canada Health Act. During the last election campaign, while still Opposition Leader, Stephen Harper said that he was opposed to providing government support for the use of illegal drugs. "The federal government is closing its eyes to a program that saves lives and slows the spread of diseases such as HIV," said Milburn. "Let's tell Mr. Harper that not only is it our moral responsibility to support programs like InSite, but it makes infinite sense from a harm-reduction, healthcare-cost-containment standpoint as well." According to the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS - a Vancouver-based research, treatment and education facility - people using InSite are more likely to enter a detox program. The presence of nurses able to treat users who overdose has also dramatically reduced ambulance trips and hospitalization for addicts. "Through programs like InSite, we can help addicts stay alive long enough to break the cycle of addiction," said 2006 Green Party candidate for Crowfoot, Alberta Cameron Wigmore. "This service gives addicts the opportunity they need to seek help." From the age of 14 to 23, Wigmore struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. Finding himself spiritually bankrupt, he decided to take charge of his life. Now six years later, Wigmore is active as a facilitator in drug rehabilitation and drug awareness programs, speaking at schools and addiction awareness events. "I've had the opportunity to come back from the edge," said Wigmore. "We have a responsibility to reach out and help addicts who are still suffering by supporting addiction programs." The Green Party supports a public health framework to reduce the use of psychoactive drugs through rehabilitation and prevention. Elected Green Party MPs would assist provinces to create safe injection clinics and needle exchange programs, and would increase the number of detox and treatment beds for drug and alcohol rehabilitation. "We can't incarcerate the problem of addiction away," said Milburn. The Green Party promotes the use of restorative justice, rather than prison, for first time non-violent offenders and believes in tackling the root causes of crime: poverty, unemployment, drug addiction and alcohol abuse. InSite has the support of past and present mayors of Vancouver as well as the Vancouver police, who recently unveiled the department's first drug policy showing support for the continuation of InSite. - 30 - For more information contact Van Ferrier Media Relations Green Party of Canada 514-495-3751 van.ferrier@greenparty.ca