Ontario's first supervised drug inhalation service opens in Toronto amid rise in smoking-related OD deaths

Mixed feelings on this tbh. Meth and crack users are not at all like opioid users in terms of community impact to the point that I’m not entirely comfortable saying that a harm reduction approach to dealing with a substance that causes dangerously unpredictable and frequently violent behaviour is a good approach. A lot of the meth users I interacted with while I lived at Dundas and Sherbourne needed to be either in treatment or in jail, I don’t think a harm reduction lense is necessarily appropriate given the types of behaviour associated with meth use.

If people read the article closely, they’re not talking about <smoking crack> or <smoking meth>.

It specifically mentions opioid overdoses.

People are moving towards <smoking ‘fentanyl’>. That’s how they are overdosing.

I would be completely fine with places like this or safe injection sites if they actually stayed there after they were high but instead they walk around outside making people uncomfortable all well yelling and stumbling around roads

This can’t be the only options we have I absolutely believe people need to be safe but that INCLUDES the public it’s not ok to have people high out of their mind’s harassing people just trying to get to work or home

The limited hours of the safe consumption at Casey House renders it practically useless in terms of the neighbourhood impact, and ineffective at harm reduction.

Since last spring (when the safe injection site opened) the only difference has been an increase in dealers in the area, an increase in theft, and multiple attempted home invasions in neighbouring apartment buildings. There has been absolutely no reduction in people choosing to break into buildings and shoot up in hallways and stairwells. The community continues to be littered with dirty needles and broken glass pipes.

They’ve just attracted a bunch of drug dealers to sit around and squat on nearby properties during the limited site hours.

Stop accommodating to every god damn drug user. Crack and meth heads are probably the least functional drug users, next to heroin addicts and leech from the system. But sure, let's build them a smoking centre.

“To all registered Casey House clients”

I’ve worked with clients there. I don’t think this will be a safe drug use drop in where anyone from the public can go in. This is specifically for clients who are already getting services there. There’s a referral and assessment process to access their services.

You have to be buzzed in from what I remember and then you have to sign in at reception.

I do feel that this will be different than other safe use drug sites set up in parks etc.

Casey house has excellent programs for folks living with HIV or at risk of getting HIV. I’m not surprised that they would have this as part of a harm reduction program for their clients.

But I do wonder what happens when clients leave there after using.

I don't understand why these places are necessary, or a good idea.

I'm not saying they're bad. I'm saying I don't understand it.

Isn't it just condoning and encouraging drug use?