Canada approves second officially supervised intravenous drug use site
Source: The Guardian
Canada approves second officially supervised intravenous drug use site
Dr Peter Aids Foundation in Vancouver was granted two-year exemption from
federal drug laws from Liberals, a significant shift in Canadas healthcare policy
Jessica Murphy in Ottawa
Friday 15 January 2016 22.32 GMT
An acclaimed Canadian HIV/Aids treatment centre has been given the green light to operate a supervised drug injection site by Canadas federal government, becoming the second such approved site in North America.
Health Canada announced Friday it was granting Vancouvers Dr Peter Aids Foundation, which operates the Dr Peter Centre, a two-year exemption from federal drug laws. That exemption prevents clients and staff from being criminally prosecuted under those laws for activities related to the service.
International and Canadian evidence shows that, when properly established and managed, supervised consumption sites have the potential to save lives and improve health without increasing drug use and crime in the surrounding area, the health agency said in a statement.
The authorization of the new facility by the Liberals, who won the countrys federal election in October, marks a significant shift in policy from the previous Conservative government.
The Conservatives, who had a tough-on-crime agenda, spent years trying to shutter Insite, the countrys first dedicated supervised injection facility.
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http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/15/canada-second-drug-injection-site-hiv-dr-peter-aids-foundation