PHS Community Services Society
9 East Hastings Street V6A 1M9 Vancouver, BC, Canada

"As we have seen over time and in different contexts, supervised injection sites save lives and prevent the transmission of deadly and debilitating diseases. "And they save money." There should be an overdose prevention site in every city across Canada: they save lives & money.

My plan would see Vancouver lead the way as the first Canadian jurisdiction to decriminalize personal possession of illicit substances- Mayor Kennedy Stewart. If passed by council, the City would seek a geographical exemption to the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act - similar to that which allows Insite to operate. "It is time to end the stigma around substance use, help connect more of our neighbours to health care, and save lives."

"This is a solution where everyone wins." Charles Gauthier, President/CEO of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association, on supervised consumption sites and safer supply. "Progressive drug policies help the entire community, including businesses, big and small, trying to survive during these unprecedented times of global pandemic."

I think it speaks a lot that if they can do it in Oregon, certainly we can do it here. Advocates hope political leaders in the province and Ottawa will be inspired to decriminalize simple drug possession to counter the overdose crisis. Dr. Bonnie Henry, her federal counterpart Dr. Theresa Tam and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police all agree on a public health approach to drug use.

December 1 is Giving Tuesday, a global day of support and unity for those who need it most. It recognizes that this time of year can be difficult for marginalized people - doubly so during a pandemic. We hope you can take part in this special day of giving: https://bit.ly/2WpXM0e

"'Canadians should be seized with this particular crisis,' said chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam last month, given it is 'escalating as we speak.'" With all Canadian jurisdictions reporting increased overdose deaths it's time to declare a national public health emergency - B.C. did this in 2017. Also, decriminalization - Dr. Bonnie Henry called for this in 2019.

"This is the face of power in the upside-down year that is 2020." Vancouver magazine lists those who have helped the city navigate twin public health crises - from Dr. Bonnie Henry to the frontlines of the opioid emergency. "Harm-reduction advocates Karen Ward and Guy Felicella are pushing for change and support for the drug-using community and helped forward the debate on drug policy in the process."

"Those who historically oppose such harm reduction initiatives often say that people shouldn’t use drugs to begin with, as if this justifies letting people die." Squamish gets an overdose prevention site - described as "part of caring for our community" in the town's paper. Along with a hope about moving to drug decriminalization. "We have lost far too many in this town to the toxic drug supply."

This is part of how we reform policing: by getting them out of the drug business. An overview of the ongoing North American shift to public health-focused approach to substance use.

It’s taking more lives than COVID-19 is right now. A grieving father's emotional talk about his daughter's death due to suspected fentanyl poisoning, and his journey to supporting the safe supply of medical-grade alternatives to toxic street drugs. Just one of the devastated families behind the province's soaring overdose fatality numbers.

"In British Columbia, more than 1000 youth between the ages of 10 and 29 have died of overdose since a public health emergency was declared in 2016." The latest healthcare podcast featuring PHS medical director Dr. Christy Sutherland considers caring for youth, the fastest-growing age demographic for opioid poisoning hospitalizations in Canada.

"For somebody who is homeless, the median age of death is about half of the life expectancy for the average British Columbian." People who are homeless in the province die, on average, between 40 and 49 years of age, according to Coroners Service stats. That's 2016 data - the most recent available - and things have got worse since.

"Citing Portugal’s model, critics of the war on drugs have long clamored to bring the model to the US. With Oregon’s vote, they now have a launching pad." Money spent on policing drug possession for personal use should now go towards education, treatment and harm reduction services.

"Even if they’re arguing with us about it at least we’re talking about drug policy, drug culture and stigma and things of that nature." Life on Mars: how drug users are staging a play about a space mission to spark dialogue about ODs, racism & COVID-19 in the Downtown Eastside.

Notice of Annual General Meeting: we're holding our 2020 AGM from 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18. We're hosting via Zoom. Email [email protected] to renew membership and RSVP. New membership applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

"First Nations people accounted for 16 per cent of all overdose deaths this year and they were 5.6 times more likely to die from overdose compared to the rest of the population." Another tragic aspect of health outcome disparities for Indigenous Canadians.

"Over 100 evidence-based, peer-reviewed studies have consistently proven the positive impacts of supervised consumption services." Every community needs a clean, safe environment in which people can inject drugs - and be connected to healthcare and other services.

"And for someone who is acutely traumatized, which many of the residents are, it’s also not safe, but it’s probably more safe than trying to survive alone." Take a look inside the Strathcona Park homeless encampment, where 200 people live in increasingly cold and muddy conditions. To many, it's safer than life on the streets, but it's still highly unsafe and unsanitary.

A big thank you to the wonderful folks at Munro's Books for donating books to PHS. We were able to create a little library corner at our Supportive Recovery Program in Victoria!

"The availability of a safer, unadulterated supply of opioids decreased their need to access the illicit drug market, significantly reducing their overdose risk." An academic study shows the PHS safe supply program at Molson Overdose Prevention Site reduces participants' overdose risk while improving their overall health - https://bit.ly/2Jb1Hea "I do not have to decide between eating and doing dope," said one.