Harm Reduction at its Best: A case for Promoting Safe Injection Facilities
Injection Drug Users (IDU) represent less than 1% of Canada's the total population. Nevertheless, it is estimated that health and law enforcement costs for controlling the drug problem in Canada amount to $5 billion annually. The current strategies targeting IDU have limited efficacy with reduc...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Ottawa
2014-11-01
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| Series: | University of Ottawa Journal of Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://uottawa.scholarsportal.info/ottawa/index.php/uojm-jmuo/article/view/1052 |
| _version_ | 1823996382336253952 |
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| author | Emilie Meyers Ellen Snyder |
| author_facet | Emilie Meyers Ellen Snyder |
| author_sort | Emilie Meyers |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Injection Drug Users (IDU) represent less than 1% of Canada's the total population. Nevertheless, it is estimated that health and law enforcement costs for controlling the drug problem in Canada amount to $5 billion annually. The current strategies targeting IDU have limited efficacy with reducing emergency department visits, limiting HIV/Hep C virus transmission and providing accessible health care. This paper makes the case for safe injection facilities (SIF) as a means to improve IDU health outcomes, while reducing health care expenditures, decreasing public injecting and having no impact on crime rates. This topic is of particular concern now that the Conservative government is in the process of trying to pass bill C-2 to modify the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act making exemptions for SIF inaccessible. This is occurring while leading researchers in the field are applying for an exemption for such a facility in Ottawa. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T17:01:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1701b42709e14369908ac349f469a804 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2292-650X 2292-6518 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T17:01:50Z |
| publishDate | 2014-11-01 |
| publisher | University of Ottawa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | University of Ottawa Journal of Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-1701b42709e14369908ac349f469a8042022-12-21T21:00:28ZengUniversity of OttawaUniversity of Ottawa Journal of Medicine2292-650X2292-65182014-11-014210.18192/uojm.v4i2.1052Harm Reduction at its Best: A case for Promoting Safe Injection FacilitiesEmilie Meyers0Ellen Snyder1University of OttawaFaculty of Medicine, University of OttawaInjection Drug Users (IDU) represent less than 1% of Canada's the total population. Nevertheless, it is estimated that health and law enforcement costs for controlling the drug problem in Canada amount to $5 billion annually. The current strategies targeting IDU have limited efficacy with reducing emergency department visits, limiting HIV/Hep C virus transmission and providing accessible health care. This paper makes the case for safe injection facilities (SIF) as a means to improve IDU health outcomes, while reducing health care expenditures, decreasing public injecting and having no impact on crime rates. This topic is of particular concern now that the Conservative government is in the process of trying to pass bill C-2 to modify the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act making exemptions for SIF inaccessible. This is occurring while leading researchers in the field are applying for an exemption for such a facility in Ottawa.https://uottawa.scholarsportal.info/ottawa/index.php/uojm-jmuo/article/view/1052Safe Injection FacilitiesHarm Reduction |
| spellingShingle | Emilie Meyers Ellen Snyder Harm Reduction at its Best: A case for Promoting Safe Injection Facilities University of Ottawa Journal of Medicine Safe Injection Facilities Harm Reduction |
| title | Harm Reduction at its Best: A case for Promoting Safe Injection Facilities |
| title_full | Harm Reduction at its Best: A case for Promoting Safe Injection Facilities |
| title_fullStr | Harm Reduction at its Best: A case for Promoting Safe Injection Facilities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Harm Reduction at its Best: A case for Promoting Safe Injection Facilities |
| title_short | Harm Reduction at its Best: A case for Promoting Safe Injection Facilities |
| title_sort | harm reduction at its best a case for promoting safe injection facilities |
| topic | Safe Injection Facilities Harm Reduction |
| url | https://uottawa.scholarsportal.info/ottawa/index.php/uojm-jmuo/article/view/1052 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT emiliemeyers harmreductionatitsbestacaseforpromotingsafeinjectionfacilities AT ellensnyder harmreductionatitsbestacaseforpromotingsafeinjectionfacilities |