Sydney and Vancouver are two drop-dead gorgeous harbour-side cities with the largest concentration of injecting drug users in their respective countries.
In both cities, concern about the large number of deaths from drug overdose led to the establishment of a medically supervised injecting centre against vehement and relentless opposition. In both countries, a conservative Federal government tried to close down the centre despite strong support from the respective state government, local health authorities and local residents. In both countries, opponents ignored impressive scientific evidence of benefit and cost-effectiveness and the absence of serious unintended negative effects.
Insite, the medically supervised injecting centre established in 2003 in Vancouver, Canada, was given a reprieve on 27 May by the British Colombia Supreme Court.
The ruling by B.C. Supreme Court judge Ian Pitfield declared that the facility is a place where health care takes place and that drug addiction is a health care issue, making it immune from federal drug prosecution and gave teh Federal government one year to pass legislation making it clear the facility should be exempt from prosecution.
Meanwhile, Sydney’s Medically Supervised Injecting Centre has a license to continue operating until 2011, but only as a research project. With the next NSW elections due in March 2010, the future of Sydney’s Medically Supervised Injecting Centre may well turn on judgments made in Canadian courts.
Should Sydney’s Medically Supervised Injecting Centre be treated like a legitimate health care facility? Has it earnt a secure future?