VANCOUVER // In a neighbourhood where rampant heroin use once led to the highest HIV infection rates recorded in a developed country, supporters of a controversial safe injection site are preparing to go to Canada's highest court to stop the federal government from shutting it down.
More than 30 studies on the pilot project suggest it saves addicts from dying from overdoses as well as decreasing transmission rates of HIV, which spreads when drug users share needles. But the Conservative federal government is determined to close the safe injection site and it has appealed a court ruling in support of the programme.
"I think their opinion is purely ideological," said Thomas Kerr, a research scientist with the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/Aids. "There's no academic debate. The scientific evidence speaks for itself."
Studies showing positive results of the facility, called Insite, have been published in leading medical journals, including The Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers found that Insite cuts down on the spread of blood-borne diseases, while providing addicts with an avenue for treatment.
But the growing body of scientific evidence has not stopped federal politicians from arguing that safe injection sites actually do more harm than good.
"Allowing and/or encouraging people to inject heroin into their veins is not harm reduction, it is the opposite? We believe it is a form of harm addition," Tony Clement, Canada's former health minister, said at the International Aids Conference in Mexico City in August.
His comments were reported to have stunned World Health Organisation officials who were launching a "how-to" guide on fighting the global Aids epidemic at an event where Mr Celement was speaking. The organisation has endorsed safe injection sites.
Leona Aglukkaq, Canada's new health minister, shares Mr Clement's views, according to her press secretary, Josée Bellemare.
"Our government commissioned a panel of experts to review all Canadian studies on Insite," Ms Bellemare said in an interview. "The expert advisory committee produced a report showing there is no direct evidence the supervised injection site lowers overdose death rates. There is no direct evidence the secure injection site reduces rates of HIV."
Mr Kerr said the government hand-picked committee members who produced a report that was never subjected to academic scrutiny. "These people will never show up and debate face to face. They beak off to the media, but we've invited them to public meetings and they never come."
Mr Kerr said more research needs to be done, but he insisted there is clear evidence that Insite is working. Shutting it down would be a step back to the late 1990s, when overdose deaths took place on a daily basis in Vancouver's notorious Downtown Eastside and HIV transmission rates were skyrocketing.
"It's the highest rate that's ever been observed in the developed world," Mr Kerr said.
The crisis prompted authorities to declare a public health emergency in 1998. Inside was conceived as a response and it opened in 2003 when the federal Liberal Party was in power. The Conservatives have threatened to halt the programme since taking over in 2006.
Healthcare advocates finally took the government to court, arguing that closing Insite would violate the constitutional right to life and security of those using the facility. A judge agreed, but the government appealed the decision and the case is expected to end up at the Supreme Court of Canada.
Some experts have suggested that a Supreme Court ruling in favour of Insite would open the door to creating safe injection sites across the country.
Earl Crowe, a former heroin addict who used Insite for two years, said more safe injection sites are necessary. "I know lots of people whose lives have been saved at Insite," said Mr Crowe, who is now prescribed daily dose of methadone, a heroin substitute.
In addition to drug counsellors, Insite employs nurses who have responded to hundreds of overdoses, many of which would likely have been fatal if they occurred elsewhere. The facility gets as many as 1,600 visits a day from the Downtown Eastside's approximately 8,000 intravenous drug users.
Inside is one of several "harm reduction" initiatives that have sprung up in response to the neighbourhood's drug crisis. Researchers recently completed a controversial year-long study that saw heroin prescribed in gradually smaller doses to chronic users.
The results of the North American Opiate Medication Initiative (Naomi), made public on Oct 17, suggest that it helped addicts cut down on drug use, engage in less crime and stay in treatment longer.
Critics said Insite and Naomi are dangerous steps towards legalising drugs. But advocates argue that traditional law enforcement methods have not worked and they point to the neighbourhood's long history of drug abuse.
jferrie@thenational.ae
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Race results:
1. Thani Al Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi: 46.44 min
2. Peter Morin (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team: 0.91sec
3. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team: 31.43sec
Company Profile
Founders: Tamara Hachem and Yazid Erman
Based: Dubai
Launched: September 2019
Sector: health technology
Stage: seed
Investors: Oman Technology Fund, angel investor and grants from Sharjah's Sheraa and Ma'an Abu Dhabi
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
MATCH INFO
Norwich City 0 Southampton 3 (Ings 49', Armstrong 54', Redmond 79')
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
Company%20Profile
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The%20specs
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SOUTH%20KOREA%20SQUAD
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
Favourite food: Fish and seafood
Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends
Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!
Favourite country to visit: Italy
Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Family: We all have one!
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
MATCH INFO
Norwich City 1 (Cantwell 75') Manchester United 2 (Aghalo 51' 118') After extra time.
Man of the match Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
POWERWASH%20SIMULATOR
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying