5mo ago

I thought drug consumption sites were dangerous. This is why I was wrong

www.thespec.com I thought drug consumption sites were dangerous. This is why I was wrong

Closing these sites will have disastrous consequences, especially for women, children and people who are unhoused.

14 comments

Fucking NIMBYs ruining everything for everyone.
- There is an issue they we need more then just safe consumption sites. We need the support network to help people get out of the situations that are causing them to use. And we don’t have that.
  
  You're right, but that's not a reason to close safe injection sites. Generally, we need to stop treating addicts like criminals. Addiction is a disease, and the corrective action is healthcare.
  
  Safe injection sites are clearly a part of that support network.
- Honest question, would you live next to one?
  I ask cause I never had an issue with them. They put one up in the plaza near me and now my building has constant break ins, car thefts, property damage, etc. It's great for the addicts, they're safer, but now they all hang out in that plaza and surrounding areas all day.
  Anyways why not in a hospital? I don't get why this has to happen in residential areas?
  
  I mean, this is NIMBYism. These break-ins and car thefts were happening anyway and needed something done about them, now it's just happening in your back yard. The main difference is that the only way you could change it and shove the break-ins back where you dont see them is if you and your neighbors were rich.
  
  would you live next to one?
  I would rather not to, so if one was planned to open next to my house, I'd consider moving out. However, I would not fight against opening one because I know society needs these. Let me put it this way: I'd hate to live next to a fire station or a an emergency hospital, but I know the city needs those so I will fight for them to exist but I'd move away from them whenever necessary to protect my sleep and peace of mind.
  Anyways why not in a hospital? I don’t get why this has to happen in residential areas?
  This is a different question altogether to your first question, and you'll get a better answer by talking to specialists.
  
  Because that's where people use drugs. If you have a neighbourhood where people use these drugs, everyone is better off with a site in proximity, even people who don't use dangerous drugs. If the site is drawing people into the area, that only speaks to a lack of sites.

14 comments