Plans made for safe injection sites in Alberta

Safe injection sites could be coming to Alberta in an effort to deal with drug related overdoses and deaths.

The provincial government has allocated $500,000 to research how the supervised sites could benefit those struggling with addiction.

Shelley Williams, with Medically Supervised Injection Services in Edmonton, says the sites are needed.

“It’s specifically addressing those people primarily injecting in public spaces and often alone. They will be able to inject under supervision and connect with a range of health and support services.”

Williams adds that it is a concept used effectively in other areas.

“Medically supervised injection is a public health service that is an evidence-based practice meant to be one part of a spectrum of prevention, harm reduction and treatment services.”

A safe injection site has been operating in Vancouver since 2003, and there are also plans to bring them into Toronto.

Currently there are 65 physicians that can provide methadone, and 160 that can provide suboxone for people with opioid dependency in Alberta.

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