Petition to support supervised consumption sites in Ottawa
There's a health crisis in Ottawa, and thousands of lives are at risk.
The rate of HIV and hepatitis C among people who use drugs in Ottawa is one of the highest in Canada. 1 in 10 injection drug users are infected with HIV, and 6 in 10 have contracted hepatitis C. Every day, thousands more are at risk of becoming infected with one of these potentially lethal illnesses. And each year, dozens of people will die from overdose.
But there's a proven way to turn the tide on this epidemic.
Supervised consumption sites are public health facilities that offer a hygienic environment where people can use their own drugs under the supervision of trained medical staff. Opening these sites in Ottawa would:
- Reduce the spread of HIV and hepatitis-C by providing sterile equipment and safe disposal for used needles
- Prevent deaths caused by overdose
- Decrease public drug use and drug-equipment litter
- Provide access to health and social services, such as first aid treatment and addiction recovery programs
Medical, scientific and legal evidence show that supervised consumption sites are an effective and economical method of preventative health care. Funds spent on harm prevention save millions of health care dollars on treatment. This is a program that works and makes sense for our community.
