INSITE - 24 Hours article - July 21, 2006

Insite has been lifesaver

By MATT KIELTYKA, 24 HOURS

Three hundred and thirty-six crosses overlooking a picturesque Vancouver skyline serves as a chilling reminder to Stephen Harper what life could be like without Insite.

Supporters of the Supervised Safe Injection site erected the makeshift graveyard yesterday in Vanier Park as the federal government debates whether or not to extend the facility's operating exemption, which expires Sept.12.

"In 18 months, there have been 336 overdose cases at the site and the staff managed to revive every person," said Mark Townsend of the Portland Housing Society, which runs Insite. "If the facility closes all of those people would be put back in the street and business doorways and the rate of overdose fatalities will be raise."

Townsend said he is hopeful Stephen Harper "won't do anything stupid" and will continue to support the successful project.

Darryl James, a recovering drug user who uses Insite, said he might be dead if it wasn't for the nurses at the facility.

"About two years ago I overdosed and they saved me," said James, who is taking a drug treatment program because of his experience. "You're saving lives [by keeping Insite open]."

Insite for Community Safety spokesperson Gillian Maxwell said the research done on the program has been "loud and clear" and it would be foolish to cut support.