Safe Injection Sites - Have we got it wrong?

I'm just not sure our society is offering the proper service or options to drug addicts. 

From everything I read and hear, the aim right now is to offer harm reduction services in the form of safe injection sites and trying to reduce the amount of deaths or overdoses to drug addicts.

Obviously what was done in the past, in the so-called war on drugs, hasn't worked.  While I'm not sure this new strategy will have any better results - other that saving lives, it is at least a step in the right direction.

I'm certain - from a medical perspective - this is a great way to reduce the lives lost, burden on our emergency services (paramedics, ambulances, hospitals etc.), but - in my opinion, this is just a band-aid to stop the bleeding.  The disease hasn't been looked at.

I've spent much of the day looking at harm reduction policy - and there is very little  discussion about solving the deep-rooted problems themselves. They discuss keeping the drug user safe from police, safe from using infected needles, safe from HIV and other diseases and safe from overdoses, but none of these sites nor literature show how they can keep the drug user safe from himself!

Opponents of harm-reduction strategies claim that tolerating or accepting this risky life style or behavior is akin to encouraging it. 

Volunteer operated Injection site opens

In August a pop-up tent injection site opened in Ottawa - in a city-owned park - of all places.  I've looked at multiple photos, web sites and discussions - from all angles - and everything I've seen and heard leads me to believe their one and only goal was to stop overdoses.  A worthy and lofty goal to be certain, but yet, not really dealing with the issue.

Just for the sake of argument let's compare the safe injection sites (one soon to be opened in Sandy Hill) with the actual drug problem itself.  They both offer only a temporary solution for those requiring the service(?). Both are simply band-aids to the real problems.

Why are we not dealing with the issue itself.  Sure, TV and radio stations all have regular stories about over doses and Fentanyl problems, but do health officials actually believe that this will stop an addict?  Warning an addict that his dose may be too toxic or laced with a drug that could cause an overdose simply will not stop someone who is looking for a fix.

Will our politicians suggest something more substantial?  Not likely, because this - safe injection site system is easy and something they can throw money at and claim they are doing something about the problem.

We heard so many times something like, "Our government has invested $20 million dollars towards a solution and we've helped drop xxx rates down to below 1990 levels", or something similar.  This is the easy way out.  Throw money at a problem - claim they are doing something, yet do little to solve the real problem.

While the safe injection sites lip-sync about how they offer treatment to drug addicts, they are also very quick to point out that these same addicts have the right to deny any additional help or treatment.

Why do we tip-toe around drugs and drug users, yet fight tooth and nail against tobacco and alcohol use.

We have programs in place to stop drinking and driving, multiple programs and laws to stop people from smoking tobacco, but we bend over backwards to help people inject themselves with life threatening drugs!

We spend millions of dollars trying to reduce the amount of harm caused, yet fail to realize that this is a never-ending battle using the current techniques.

The illegal popup tent (calling themselves a safe injection site) was both unsanctioned and not dealing with the real problem.  Not just a band-aid solution, but in fact likely did more long-term damage than long term good.

Allowing users to shoot up without offering them a better or more viable option - is akin to encouraging this behavior.  Since when did our society become so lazy and so entitled that we no longer expect people to own up to their very own actions.

I'm not an expert is reforming societal issues and problems, but from what I can see - if health officials used the same philosophy they used to cut down tobacco use, in the war on drugs, we would be further ahead.

I think we need to look at areas that involve education, treatment, prevention AND harm reduction as a combined therapy as an overarching program.  Perhaps we can find a way to get people off the streets and into counseling or therapy and find out what turned them to this life style in the first place.

There are a lot of issues surrounding these safe injection sites.  Morality, financial concerns, increases in drug dealers in safe zones, discarded needles, and condoning illegal behavior are just a few.

Lets deal with the problems not just the symptoms.