CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Liberal MLA Heath MacDonald has pushed P.E.I. Health Minister James Aylward to establish a safe injection site in P.E.I.
A supervised consumption site, also known as a safe injection site, would provide individuals who use drugs a place to safely consume these drugs in the presence of health professionals.
These professionals are often equipped with Naloxone kits and are trained to reverse overdoses.
There is a substantial evidence that safe consumption sites reduce overdose deaths.
During question period recently, MacDonald urged Aylward to consider establishing one of these sites locally. There are currently no supervised consumption sites in P.E.I.
“As of July 2019, there are 39 safe-injection sites across the country. These sites provide a basic level of safety and dignity for those suffering from addictions,” MacDonald said. “What is your government’s position, to the minister of health, on safe injection sites here in P.E.I.?”
Aylward thanked MacDonald for raising the issue and said the department would take a look at it.
He said the province is currently partnering with PEERS Alliance, a non-profit group, to provide an overdose prevention line. The line would allow an individual using drugs to stay on the line with a peer or health professional until it can be determined they are safe.
P.E.I. has seven needle exchange sites and also offers an opioid replacement therapy program, offering methadone or suboxone as substitutes.
But individuals who use drugs often use them alone, which carries a risk of accidental overdose. Experts have found that Canada’s drug supply has become increasingly cut with other more potent or dangerous substances. This has been exacerbated by the closure of international borders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In P.E.I., there were at least 12 accidental overdoses and at least four opioid-related deaths between January and September, according to the Department of Health and Wellness.
In an interview, MacDonald said peer-reviewed studies have established supervised consumption sites reduce overdose deaths, and do not increase drug use or criminal activity. But MacDonald said stigma is still a barrier to treatment on P.E.I.
"Nobody talks about it. And the individuals that are using are not going to talk about it," MacDonald said. "A lot of them get caught in this situation. ... It's something really hard to get out of."
MacDonald suggested during question period the province establish a safe injection site as a pilot project within the soon-to-be constructed Deacon House or Lacey House. These are both overnight shelters for people dealing with addictions.
In an interview, Aylward said he did not believe these sites, on the site of Hillsborough Hospital, would be the best location.
“My first reaction would be no," Aylward said. "If you did introduce one, it needs to be closer to the downtown core where individuals would have easier access to it."
Aylward reiterated supervised consumption sites were “not off the table”. But he said few have advocated for this in P.E.I.
"I haven't received a single call on this. I've received many, many calls on other things, but I haven't had (any) on safe injection sites to date," Aylward said.
During a rally for mental health at the Coles Building on Nov. 17, advocates called for a number of changes to the health system, including the immediate hiring of more psychiatrists and guarantees that Unit 9, the psychiatric unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, be fully reopened. But the establishment of a supervised consumption site was not one of the demands.
PEERS Alliance has been the most vocal advocate for the establishment of supervised consumption sites on P.E.I.
Trish Altass, health care critic for the Opposition Greens, said mental health and addictions advocates are focused on ensuring spaces like Unit 9 remain open in the event of COVID-19 lockdowns.
"Honestly, when we're speaking to mental health advocates on P.E.I., most of the time they're very focused on keeping the resources that we have," she said.
Stu Neatby is the political reporter for The Guardian.
