
I did see an interesting program on The Fifth Estate regarding Insite which is the first legal safe injection site in North America. I am all for needle exchange programs however this place is the cream of the crop. I remember reading about it years ago when they first opened up and thought it was a great idea back then. I mean the reality is people are going to do drugs so why not give them a safe environment to do so. Addicts can bring in their drugs and shoot up in sterilized booths. They have access to all the works (clean needles, sterilized water, citric acid to cut the drugs) and medical staff are on site as well in case anything goes awry (IE an overdose) or the person wants some medical information. There are counsellors available as well as a detox and rehab program upstairs if a person so chooses to go that route. The staff are non judgemental and actually make the people feel like human beings.
I don't understand the big hullabaloo from people who oppose such places. Why don't you want a safe place for people to dispose of their syringes? Would you rather they be strewn across the sidewalk or street where you walk?? Would you rather the person shoot up in front of your son or daughter in the street? Is it better to give out clean needles or would you rather people share them thus increasing the risk of spreading disease??? Needles are to be used one time and one time only, when people need a fix they will use the same needle countless times if they have no other choice. This leads to barbing and jagged edges which leads to ripped skin and open sores/abscess' and of course terrible infections.
I don't understand why anyone would think a place such as Insite is bad, I really don't get it. As I said people are going to shoot drugs intravenously regardless of what anyone says, so let's treat them with respect and dignity and try to keep them as safe as possible. You have to remember that as well as being addicts they are people too. They are daughters or sisters or mothers, fathers and they are just as human as you or I.
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On a completely different note I was driving the other day and noticed two young girls crouched near the side of a very busy street over what appeared to be roadkill. I continued to drive however my conscience got the better of me and I circled around to see if they needed any help. Well it turns out a cute little squirrel had it's legs smushed by a car however the poor thing was still alive. I called the Humane Society and told the girls I would wait until they arrived. So there I found myself standing over the squirrel, crouching down and talking to the squirrel (for comfort of course) and eventually kneeling on the road beside the squirrel to ensure it would not take another hit ( I understand another hit would have put him/her out of misery however I just couldn't possibly bear the thought). Poor thing was terrified; whenever someone walked by on the sidewalk its head would pop up and it would try to drag itself away which for obvious reasons was next to impossible. The animal control guy arrived about 20 mins later and of course had to euthanize the little doll. I kept it together until he mentioned the inevitable then I started to cry, but I cried alone as I walked to my car so the man would not see. It just made me really sad.......

17 comments:
Do you really want to have a discussion about what's wrong with safe injection sites in this forum? I'll go into it here, if you'd like.
heres an idea you use drugs YOU GO TO JAIL...you must be outside your mind to think this is an ok alternative..pls pls pls if you have children do not teach them this is ok...zman sends
Poor little squirrel.
I'm not sure how I feel about safe injections sites, mostly because of how they may or may not be funded. Then again I'm pretty libertarian about what someone consumes.
I'm kinda torn about the place as well since you could say it's enabling in a way, but I like that they offer counseling, etc.
The squirrel story reminds me of when I had a hamster that accidentally got into some poison and these nice people at the vet put him to sleep for me. :( They care about the littlest of critters!
Sorry to hear. I must be missing something because I have no idea what the whole duscussion about safe injection sites is.
You are due a happy post, btw.
That place is in Vancouver and I'm not sure how I feel about it. It doesn't change the fact that drugs ruin people's life and those around them. It does kind of make it easier for them in my mind. Don't drug addicts have to hit rock bottom before they get help? That place doesn't seem like it would be rock bottom. Isn't it really enabling?
And oh that poor squirrel. I hit one near my office in winnipeg (with my car). It was in the late fall and the snow fell soon after. In the spring the little guy was still there (dead of course). I felt he was judging me every time I drove by....sigh.
Thanks for the post Ash. I appreciate your humanistic perspective on the subject of addiction.
Safe injection sites are absolutely necessary. Drugs are a fact of life and they have been throughout human civilization. Insisting that junkies shoot up on street corners or in back allies doesn't help anyone. Addiction is definitely a terrible problem, but is also a fact of life, so let's try to reduce the harm associated with it, instead of trying to deny it exists, or imposing punitive or moralistic measures so that more people die.
To your readers: if you think there is something wrong with safe injection sites you likely are missing the point. I direct you to the work of Transform Drug Policy Foundation in the UK if you need more information about why prohibitionist policies kill people, and why reducing the harm from drug use needs to be the biggest priority in government policies on drugs.
I'm with everyone else with a brain. what other deviant behavior do you want to encourage while you're at it? Maybe socialize hookers?
I just don't think your argument is good enough. People are going to do it, so we might as well give them somewhere to do it safely. That's just not good enough. You're going to have to come up with something better.
This was a sad post & on a Monday to boot. Ha. That was very nice what you did by pulling over as I probably would have kept driving and just wondered what was holding their attention.
As for the injection program, i'm generally for them. And finally, I try to allow myself a set number of shows to follow & that keeps me from getting to sucked in & wasting too much time.
To Slopmaster:
'Socialize hookers.'
What's wrong with hookers? (And what makes you think hookers aren't 'socialized'? Are johns socialized?)
Are they not people? Who else doesn't count as human beings? And moreover, what is considered deviant behaviour and what isn't? Is homosexuality deviant behaviour? What about drinking alcohol? Is that deviant? Is masterbation deviant? Who gets to decide what is deviant behaviour? Is it you? Is it me? Politicians?
Your objection to safe injection sites appears to be based on a puritanical construction of morality, is that right?
Didnt read all of it but I am all for legalizing hookers. Marriage is 'legalized hooking'. Amen!
yrautca - I disagree with your point about marriage being legalized hooking. Since when do wives put out? If married men were getting laid at home, there would be no market for hookers.
WIGSF, as long as you are respectful you can state your opinions even if they differ from mine.
Zman, you can get drugs in jail....
Wiwille, I felt terrible for the squirrel even though I didn't hurt it.
JLee & Rawbean, I think that an addict is an addict and regardless of whether or not these places exist the reality is that drugs will still be a big part of society. I don't think safe injection sites will make it easier for people to do drugs...they are going to do them anyway, anywhere so why not help them stay safer.
Yrautca, yes yes a funny post soon I promise! I didn't realize I was being such a Debbie Downer :)
Sly, great minds think alike!! I'm going to check out the TDPF, sounds like something I would be interested in.
Slopmaster, I also happen to think that sex trade workers are people too and perhaps legalizing prostitution is not such a horrible idea. You're shocked I know.
As for Insite I'm not sure why my thoughts are not good enough for you. Keeping the streets clean of dirty works (IE needles) as well as reducing the number of people injecting on the street and having a place for addicts to get medical attention all sound like pretty good reasons to support a safe injection site. Not to mention reducing the transmission of diseases, providing information on safe detoxing and rehabilitation for marginalized people. I think those are all very valid reasons for supporting such a place.
2DP, I always stop when I see such things...last time it was a cat that had been run over by a big truck and it was still alive, actually that happened twice. The 1st time I found the owner, the 2nd cat I took to a 24 hr vet at midnight to get help. I'm pretty sure they thought I ran the cat over but I was really just being thoughtful.
whatigotsofar,
i was referring to the first few weeks of marriage. i have never been married so i wouldnt know.
I understand places like insite are needed but I know you can see the other side of it - that we as a society are condoning the activity.
Just playing devil's advocate here - seeing that teenager's are going to have sex anyway should we set up little rooms for them with condoms and lube and beds so they don't have sex in cars and in basements and help prevent the passage of sexually tansmitted diseases and teen pregnancies?
I think you need to visit my blog... i'll definately be sticking around here.
Best wishes, Shane.
BB excellent idea!!! All kidding aside of course I can respect the whole enabling aspect of it...I just see the other side.
Heroinhead, welcome back.
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