Canada’s highest court unchains injection drug users; implications for harm reduction as standard of healthcare.docVIP

SmallHarmReductionJournal2012,9:34 /content/9/1/34 COMMENTARY OpenAccess Canada’shighestcourtunchainsinjectiondrug users;implicationsforharmreductionasstandard ofhealthcare DanSmall1,2* Abstract NorthAmerica’sonlysupervisedinjectionfacility,Insite,openeditsdoorsinSeptemberof2003withafederal exemptionasathree-yearscientificstudy.Theresultsofthestudy,evaluatedbyanindependentresearchteam, showedittobesuccessfulinengagingthetargetgroupinhealthcare,preventingoverdosedeathandHIV infectionswhileincreasinguptakeandretentionindetoxandtreatment.Theresearch,publishedinpeer-reviewed medicalandscientific