Vancouver has consistently been voted one of the top cities in the world in which to live by the United Nations, but like any thriving metropolis, it has its problems. If you’ve ever wandered around East Hastings street, the prevalence of the indigent, unemployed, homeless, and drug addicts is readily apparent. Which is why in 2003 Vancouver opened North America’s only Safe Injection Facility (SIF), a site where drug users can inject their pre-obtained drugs under the supervision of healthcare professionals who provide sterile syringes. The doctors and nurses on site also provide referrals to primary health services, and provide emergency treatment in the event of an overdose. Sounds to me like a brilliant solution to prevent unnecessary deaths, and ideally, curb drug usage, even if SIF’s exist in a somewhat legal-loophole to Canada’s drug laws. In fact, I think SIFs should be located in all major cities where needed. But not everyone agrees with me, and the controversy is rippling across Canada to the nation’s biggest city, Toronto. More »