Canada’s supervised consumption sites aren’t safe for surrounding communities. While they shouldn’t be abolished, significant reforms are urgently needed.
First piloted in Vancouver in 2003, these sites are designed to reduce drug-associated harms by giving visitors clean paraphernalia, such as sterilized needles, along with a safe space to consume their substances. Trained staff are able to test drugs for contaminants, reverse accidental overdoses and provide users with referrals to social services, such as housing assistance and addiction treatment.
