In 2015, Victoria, BC saw an increase in drug overdoses throughout the city including one death occurring in Esquimalt (news source). Drug-related fatalities are preventable if the population has access to services that would minimize the risk of an overdose. Through an assessment of the community of Esquimalt, I am proposing that there is a need to build a safe injection site to prevent accidental overdoses, as well as provide social services for detoxification and rehabilitation programs. It is important to note that Victoria and Esquimalt are not distinguished communities when studies are done. Therefore, the extrapolation of exact drug use statistics for Esquimalt is not available. For the purpose of this paper, Victoria statistics will
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The highest prevalence of injecting drug use in North America occurs in British Columbia, with the majority of those living in Vancouver and Victoria (Kerr and Wood, 2007). The most used injectable drugs are crack, cocaine, heroin, crystal meth and prescription opioids (University of Victoria, 2014a). In 2011, three hundred and seventy-one people died of drug overdoses in British Columbia, Twenty-nine of those deaths occurred in the Greater Victoria area (BC Vital Statistics). Even though twenty-nine deaths contributes to 8% of the total deaths in BC, a safe injection site would provide this population a place to safely administer drugs Moreover, according to the University of Victoria’s Centre for Addictions Research of BC (n.d), 62% of drug user’s report of an overdose event and on average a person will experience three overdoses in their lifetime These grim statistics further emphasizes the needed for IDU population to have access to safe injection …show more content…
Also, clients will also have access to sterile injecting equipment (Kerr & Wood, 2007). In addition to maintaining client safety, all clients will have access to primary health care, counseling, and referrals to health and social services (Kerr & Wood, 2007). Safe injection sites are low threshold services, meaning they do not require abstinence from the clients, however they do attempt to stabilize the client’s situation and direct them towards effective treatments (BC Ministry of Health, n.d). The overall goal of the safe injection site would be, to decrease drug overdoses through supervision of drug injections, decrease HIV and hepatitis C infections, provide information on safe sex and drug injecting practices and refer to detoxification or rehabilitation programs. Ultimately, the safe injection site would attempt to maintain and improve contact with this marginalized population (Kerr & Pelepu,
The highest prevalence of injecting drug use in North America occurs in British Columbia, with the majority of those living in Vancouver and Victoria (Kerr and Wood, 2007). The most used injectable drugs are crack, cocaine, heroin, crystal meth and prescription opioids (University of Victoria, 2014a). In 2011, three hundred and seventy-one people died of drug overdoses in British Columbia, Twenty-nine of those deaths occurred in the Greater Victoria area (BC Vital Statistics). Even though twenty-nine deaths contributes to 8% of the total deaths in BC, a safe injection site would provide this population a place to safely administer drugs Moreover, according to the University of Victoria’s Centre for Addictions Research of BC (n.d), 62% of drug user’s report of an overdose event and on average a person will experience three overdoses in their lifetime These grim statistics further emphasizes the needed for IDU population to have access to safe injection …show more content…
Also, clients will also have access to sterile injecting equipment (Kerr & Wood, 2007). In addition to maintaining client safety, all clients will have access to primary health care, counseling, and referrals to health and social services (Kerr & Wood, 2007). Safe injection sites are low threshold services, meaning they do not require abstinence from the clients, however they do attempt to stabilize the client’s situation and direct them towards effective treatments (BC Ministry of Health, n.d). The overall goal of the safe injection site would be, to decrease drug overdoses through supervision of drug injections, decrease HIV and hepatitis C infections, provide information on safe sex and drug injecting practices and refer to detoxification or rehabilitation programs. Ultimately, the safe injection site would attempt to maintain and improve contact with this marginalized population (Kerr & Pelepu,