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Vancouver, Canada is home to the only facility in North America where one can legally inject illicit substances such as heroin or cocaine. Greg Crompton and Darren Fleet investigate whether this government-sponsored initiative is reducing harm or prolonging drug addiction.
gregcrompton

9 responses // The Shooting Gallery

  • As a US citizen, maybe I don't understand the situation fully - but it sure seems like a waste of tax money to be handing out over 100,000 needles...

    And like they said - just because those people are "safely using" at Insite, doesn't mean they would have been using the same amount on the street.

    Easy access to drugs is just another boost to users.

    It's not that I'm a drug-war proponent, either... I still don't get the marijuana laws in the US, in light of the carte blanche given to prescription drug companies.

    But I have a hard time being sympathetic with someone who couldn't say no to a needle. A disease is something nature does to you - not something you do to yourself in a careless act of self-destruction.
    jjeziorski
  • Greg,
    nice work, one of your best pieces yet.

    jjeziorski,
    I could see how you find this system problematic, but its important to note that Insite is not providing drugs , but rather a safe place to use.
    I'm guessing you haven't had the chance to see vancouver's downtown eastside and the wide range of problems there besides drug addiction, but not everyone down there is on a "careless path of self destruction", to paraphrase you.

    As a local I believe Insite is providing a well needed service to this troubled community.

    If stopping addiction is really the issue, we need to get the drugs off the street, and that is a whole other ball of wax.
    m_morgan
    1 response to this
  • Nice work, Greg! Quite a timely piece and very well done. Some issues I hadn't heard of and I think the first time I ever really comprehended what 'harm reduction' means. Looks like it would've been a tough piece to stomach. Congrats!
    andes2
  • The man in the says 35 seconds into this "everyone is stoned right now, they just got their money.." Where did they get their money from?!?!?!?! Are they getting the money from? The Government? That is just sick. Giving out money to people so they can maintain their junkie lifestyle is not healthy. These people who are addicted to drugs should go to detox.
    mjsmith11
  • Great work Greg. This is a step-up for you in regards to the reporting and coverage of the issue. Kudos homeboy.

    As for arguments for and against, I think that Mr. Doucette comes off very poorly. He speaks as an authourity on drug use yet condemns the BC Supreme Court Judge for doing the same thing. He also defers to the current Federal government as the arbiter of drug policy in Canada. I don't think it's wise to make this a partisan issue, particularly considering the federal Conservatives tenuous grasp on power. People's lives are at stake while we bicker about policy.

    However, I agree with Mr. Doucette and (I assume) mjsmith that more money needs to be funnelled into detox and rehabilitation spaces.

    Ultimately, this is a problem that exposes serious fault lines in our nation: certainly worth examining. Well done.
    sarsonscampbell
  • http://rahulbrown.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/meditation-i...
    So, it seems like the gov't gives junkies money because if they didn't, these people would be out robbing and stealing for drug money like they do in America. The resulting criminalization would cost a great deal more to society in terms of policing, incarceration, lost property, and emotional suffering of the victims of this crime. Secondary effects would include more hospitalizations and deaths from HIV etc. also incredibly draining and expensive.

    As much as something like Vancouver's program seems wrong because we're so used to punishing, the compassionate approach seems like the lowest to society.

    Does anyone know if Vancouver experiments with Ibogaine to get people off addiction? Or has meditation in prisons to reduce recidivism?
    rahulbrown
  • Greg i don't know you I'm sure I've met you once. Darren has talked to me about you tons. this a great piece of media. i find it most interesting because of the intensity. i come from a family who lived in the downtown east side, I'm sure i have a few cousins still there, dealing with wicked drugs addictions. my own uncle's during there years there would have used Insite if it was available no doubt. but looking back on their stories and my one surviving uncle's statements, the most important thing for their heroine and cocaine addictions was to get off the drugs by any path necessary. this site, sounds like a good place to get started on this path, but by no means is it the end of the journey. the compassionate approach like the other commentor made is indeed the best way to go, then to follow with more support and discussions available for treatment and intervention.
    jaredfowler
  • Greg.
    Great work! It's so hard to walk down the streets of DTES and see how these people are struggling.

    To those that are skeptical that Insite works:

    One of my friends was an actress in California and got hooked on drrugs. She moved back here to Vancouver and I drove her to Insite numerous times for clean injection.

    The "Chill out room" was where she got the help she needed. The counselor's there helped her get into rehab.

    She has now been clean for over 6 months and is doing very well.

    I think that Insite is definitely a step in the right direction.
    jennifer604

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