The closure of supervised consumption sites is a dangerous denial of evidence and human rights

“We cannot stand by as our government enacts policies that will lead to the unnecessary loss of lives.”

By Olivia Mancini

Olivia Mancini, MSW, RSW, is a co-founder of the Substance Overdose Prevention and Education Network (SOPEN).

The Ontario government’s announcement regarding shutting down consumption and treatment services (CTS) within 200 metres of schools and child-care centres is devastating.

For over a decade, I have worked with people who use drugs (PWUD) and I have seen how people are positively impacted by harm reduction services. The decision to close these sites ignores the substantial evidence base supporting their effectiveness.

Supervised consumption sites (SCS) reduce drug poisoning deaths, lower the spread of infectious diseases, and improve community safety.

Reduction in drug poisoning deaths

SCS provide a safe environment where trained staff can quickly intervene in case of an overdose, administering oxygen and naloxone if needed. The minutes and seconds are crucial in preventing fatal overdoses. According to the federal government, SCS staff attended to around 49,000 overdoses and drug-related medical emergencies between 2017 and June 2023 in Canada, with no reported fatalities on-site.

Reduction in the spread of infectious diseases

SCS reduce the sharing of needles and other injection equipment, which is a major route of transmission for HIV, Hepatitis C and other blood-borne infections. Research from Vancouver demonstrated that users of Insite were 70 per cent less likely to share needles, significantly reducing the risk of HIV transmission.

Reduction in public drug use and litter

SCS reduce public drug use and drug-related litter, contributing to cleaner and safer public spaces because folks have safe spaces to use their substances. In a study involving users at Insite, North America’s first sanctioned supervised injection site, 71 per cent reported fewer public injections and 56 per cent reported less unsafe needle disposal.

Increased access to health and social services

SCS connect individuals to comprehensive health and social services, including addiction treatment, housing support and mental health services, which help address underlying issues related to substance use.

Individuals accessing SCS are more likely to access withdrawal management and residential treatment programs compared to folks who do not use these services. For example, 23 per cent of people who were interviewed for one study related to Insite stopped injecting and another 57 per cent entered addiction treatment.

No increase in crime

Despite concerns around crime, the evidence suggests SCS do not lead to an increase in drug-related crime in their surrounding areas. Since the announcement, data has been released that shows a decrease in crime in both Kitchener and Toronto.

Let’s call a spade a spade.

The decision to close SCS is not rooted in evidence — it is a form of social eugenics. Closing SCS will lead to increased harm, including increased drug poisonings, overdoses and deaths among vulnerable populations who rely on these services for survival. This will disproportionately affect marginalized populations, particularly PWUD as the government is effectively choosing to neglect their needs.

By removing access to life-saving and sustaining services, the lives of these individuals are being devalued.

Closing SCS means that some of our most vulnerable community members will be further marginalized, potentially to the point of death. This parallels the underlying philosophy of eugenics, which seeks to eliminate those considered “less desirable” from society. It is an insidious and effective means to reduce the population of PWUD rather than addressing the root causes of substance use, such as lack of affordable housing, intergenerational trauma, poverty and gender-based violence.

Harm reduction approaches like SCS are based on the recognition of PWUD’s human rights. In 2011, the Supreme Court of Canada unanimously ruled that the government’s efforts to close Insite violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms by endangering the safety and lives of those who rely on its services. The closure of SCS is a denial of these fundamental human rights and a tragic and short-sighted decision.

Closing SCS would not only disregard evidence-based policy, but also endanger the lives of those most vulnerable in our society. By denying access to these life-saving services, the government is abandoning PWUD, pushing them further into the margins, and setting them up for preventable harm and death. This is not just a policy failure, but a fundamental human rights violation.

We cannot stand by as our government enacts policies that will lead to the unnecessary loss of lives. We must fight to protect and expand harm reduction services in conjunction with treatment services, not in opposition to them. Every person, regardless of their circumstances, has the right to safety, dignity and support.

This editorial appeared in the Hamilton Spectator on September 3, 2024. Read the article here