Moving from contempt to compassion saves lives – Winnipeg Free Press

Opinion

The question is not if Manitoba will open its first supervised consumption site for illicit drug use, but when.

A proposal for a locally-led program, backed by a broad spectrum of groups promoting harm reduction initiatives, could be the first to offer life-saving services in downtown Winnipeg.

This is long overdue.

Until recently, the only thing preventing controlled consumption sites from operating in Manitoba was the ideological opposition of the former Progressive Conservative government to them. Despite overwhelming data and evidence from around the world showing that facilities save lives by reducing and eliminating overdoses, the Tories have refused to support them.

They didn't explain why they focused on treating instead, except for recurrence of nausea, because it seemed like there was a choice between the two.

Harm reduction programs, including supervised consumption sites and distribution of safe drugs (eg, needles and syringes, tubes, and alcohol swabs), are not either-or recommendations. They work alongside treatment and other services to prevent harm, including overdose hospitalizations and deaths, and connect people to services in a non-judgmental, compassionate environment.

The Tories' ideological opposition to controlled consumption places costs lives.

The provincial position has changed under the PDP. In a mandate letter to Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith, Premier Wab Kinew asked for the facility to be established in downtown Winnipeg.

It looks like it will. The only question is when.

This week we learned that the Center for Aboriginal Health and Wellness has submitted a proposal to create an Indigenous-led safe consumption space in the city centre. This would be the first in the region.

Sunshine House operates a mobile overdose prevention site using an adapted recreational vehicle. For this, he was granted a drug addiction exemption from the federal government. However, the new offering delivers the first registered supervised consumption facility with a wide range of services.

“We are seriously considering the proposal from the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Center and community partners as a solution to help our relatives on their recovery journey,” Smith wrote in an email. Free press this week.

There are still hurdles in the proposed project. Organizers must secure government funding, find a suitable venue and apply for an illicit drug exemption from Health Canada. These are not insurmountable obstacles, they just take time.

How long will depend on the political will of the authorities.

It is not enough to express support for controlled consumption sites or include it in a minister's mandate letter. The Cabinet needs to make it a priority if it wants to achieve results. The responsible minister should direct the bureaucracy to fast-track the project and find funding to support it. When this happens, things usually get done very quickly.

Supervised consumption facilities are not a panacea for the alarming increase in illegal drug use and overdoses. They are a piece of the puzzle needed to fight addictions and get people the treatment they need.

Often, they show a willingness on the part of government, health care providers, and society to reduce the stigma surrounding illicit drug use by creating an environment that supports, rather than respects, people struggling with drug addiction.

They are part of a culture shift away from the use of derogatory terms like “addict” and “drunk” when referring to people with the disease, compassion and support.

Dehumanizing and marginalizing people suffering from addiction is a surefire way to discourage them from getting help.

Opening a place of controlled consumption is only the first step in achieving this culture change. There is still a lack of access to safe medication in Manitoba, especially in rural areas. The province, even under the NDP government, has not cared (as far as we know) about adopting any form of safe illicit drug provision like many other jurisdictions. The safe supply of government-sanctioned illicit drugs, when properly managed, could reduce the use of contaminated street drugs that have killed thousands of people in Canada in recent years.

Manitoba also hasn't applied to decriminalize simple possession of illegal drugs like other jurisdictions in Canada (which would allow more drug users to seek help).

Failure to take these steps will limit the province's ability to effectively reduce addiction and overdoses.

Still, the opening of the province's first supervised consumption site represents a major policy shift by the government. This creates a more open and compassionate approach to substance abuse than we have seen in Manitoba to date.

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