what is a safe injection site and why is it important that they are vape free?

Safe injection sites (SIS) are legally sanctioned, medically supervised facilities that are designed to curb drug overdoses and reduce public nuisance from illegal drug use, and provide a sterile and stress-free and supervised space where addicts can consume illicit recreational drugs intravenously without fear of being apprehended by police.

Full Answer

What are safe injection sites and how do they work?

Safe Injection Sites are found as Overdose Prevention, Supervised Injection, and Drug Consumption Rooms. No matter what the name, their purpose remains the same – facilitating the safer use of illegal and illicit drugs through providing clean facilities, education, and medical supervision.

Are there safe injection sites in the US?

While these sites are new to the US, they have become common practice in many other countries around the world. Canada has the oldest safe injection site in North America, Insite, which has been in operation since 2003. Insite has not experienced one overdose in the entire 15-year period they have been in operation.

Do safe injection sites cause more deaths on the street?

They feel that denying recovering addicts the use of such a facility would result in unnecessary deaths on the street. For the last 15 years, safe injection sites in Canada have not reported any incidences of deaths from overdose of addicts under their care.

Are safe injection sites morally illegitimate?

Safe injection sites are morally illicit. Keywords: Catholic healthcare ethics, Catholic social teaching, Community medicine, Cooperation in evil, Harm reduction, Safe injection sites, Social justice

What is the purpose of safe injection sites?

Safe injection sites are otherwise known as supervised injection sites, overdose prevention centers, and drug consumption rooms. They provide a user with a safe place to use with a ready clinician prepared to step in in the event of an overdose.

What is safe injecting?

Supervised injecting facilities (SIFs) are dedicated spaces where illicit drugs can be used under the watchful eye of health care professionals (particularly nurses), social workers or other trained workers or volunteers.

Do safe injection sites reduce harm?

New research shows that safe injection sites are an effective option for reducing harm among people who inject drugs. The study, released by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), found that safe injection sites help prevent deaths from drug overdoses when compared with needle exchange programs. Dr.

What are safe use sites?

Safe Consumption Sites (SCS), otherwise known as supervised consumption facilities or safe injection facilities, help reduce the risk of preventable disease, infection, and overdose from injectable drug use by providing a medically supervised room for people to inject drugs hygienically and with care available in the ...

What is a injection site?

A safe injection site is a legal, medically-supervised facility for the use of intravenous drugs. They provide a hygienic and secure environment where IV drug users can inject safely. These facilities do not sell or provide any illegal drugs; users bring their own drugs and administer them themselves.

How do you give a safe injection?

Place the needle almost flat against the patient's skin, bevel side up. Insert the needle so that the point of the needle can be seen through the skin--only about 1/8 of an inch. Slowly inject agent while watching for a small wheal or buster to appear. If none appears, withdraw the needle slightly.

When did safe injection sites start?

Its purpose was to improve the psychosocial function and health of its clients. The centers received some support from law enforcement and local government officials, although they were not officially sanctioned until 1996. The first modern supervised consumption site was opened in Berne, Switzerland in June, 1986.

Is safe injection sites legal in Canada?

Are these services legal in Canada? Yes. Supervised injection services and overdose prevention sites are legal in Canada and require an exemption under Section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA). Exemptions are granted by the federal Minister of Health.

Do safe injecting rooms work?

They are effective and they save lives. While they are not the panacea to the tragedy and crisis of heroin addiction, safe injecting rooms represent serious and effective progress towards harm minimisation.

What is used for injection?

Most injections consist of a needle and syringe. A doctor may also use a newer device, such as auto and jet injectors.

What are the 3 types of injections?

The three main routes are intradermal (ID) injection, subcutaneous (SC) injection and intramuscular (IM) injection. Each type targets a different skin layer: Subcutaneous injections are administered in the fat layer, underneath the skin. Intramuscular injections are delivered into the muscle.

What is injection room in hospital?

A place supervised by nurses and social workers where drug users can safely inject illicit drugs.

What is a Safe Injection Site?

Safe injection sites go by many names, including supervised consumption services, overdose prevention centers, fix rooms, medically supervised inje...

Are Safe Injection Sites Effective?

According to the American Medical Association, studies from other countries where safe injection sites are operating legally have reported that the...

WHAT ARE THE CONS OF SAFE INJECTION SITES?

They may encourage drug use: One popular argument opposing safe injection sites is that they encourage drug abuse by not reporting the use of illeg...

WHAT ARE THE PROS OF SAFE INJECTION SITES?

They may give addicts a safe place to inject drugs: Instead of injecting drugs in a public place like a restaurant bathroom or on the street, drug...

Are Safe Injection Sites a Good Idea?

Whether safe injection sites are a good idea or not is subjective. In theory, a safe injection site could provide essential social and health servi...

What Efforts to Help Illegal Drugs Users Exist in the U.S. Now?

Increased national recognition of drug addiction as a public health problem has led to growing acceptance of “harm reduction,” a non-punishing approach to the situation. Harm reduction is based on the belief that, if injection of illegal drugs cannot yet be entirely prevented, it’s at least possible to limit some of its negative impact on users and their communities.

What is the purpose of needle exchanges?

Establishment of needle exchanges, which provide drug users access to sterile needles and syringes at no cost and safely dispose of used needles and syringes 6 

When did the federal government stop funding needle exchanges?

In fact, resistance to such an approach has existed in the U.S for a long time. As a result, it was only in 2009 that the federal government withdrew its ban on federal funding for needle exchanges. 1 .

Is it legal to inject drugs in 2020?

Updated on April 28, 2020. Don Mason / Getty Images. Although they aren't yet legal in the U.S., about 100 safe injection sites—controlled healthcare settings where users of illegal substances, with supervision, can inject drugs they’ve brought to the site and receive related services—are now operating in a number of countries.

Why are safe injection sites important?

One of the most exciting aspects of safe injection sites is that they are designed to be the first step toward wellness. They are not seedy shooting galleries or opium dens, which operated for the profit of the proprietors. Instead, safe injection sites decrease the public burden of drug addiction and connect drug users to addiction treatment ...

Where are safe injection sites?

Safe injection sites, such as InSite in Vancouver, British Columbia, provide a safe space for drug users (primarily heroin users) to inject, as well as sterile needles, syringes, tourniquets, water and filters. In addition, many supervised injection sites provide round-the-clock monitoring in case of overdose and medical care many drug users require, such as treatment for infection. Furthermore, as part of a continuum of healthcare, these facilities also offer coordination with drug treatment and mental health facilities.

Why is it important to inject drugs?

Injecting drugs brings specific dangers and safe injection sites (also known as safe injection facilities or safe consumption sites) are meant to alleviate some of the dangers to the user and burden on the general public. Implemented properly, the provide a sanitary, monitored environment in which intravenous drug users can inject.

Why are safe injection sites important?

The proponents of safe injection sites feel that the sites are a welcome addition to the fight against addiction. Specifically, they believe that they are a benefit to public health and the community. On the other hand, the opponents of safe injection sites vehemently insist that these sites cause roadblocks in the battle against addiction. They also believe that these sites do nothing to deter drug use or help the recovering addict.

Why is injecting drugs at a facility important?

Injecting at a facility assures the addict that the nature and quality of the drugs they are using are safe.

Why did Insite take the federal government to court?

In Canada, Insite took the federal government to court in 2008, opposing its oversight over Insite’s operations. This happened after the facility was denied an exemption from the country’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. The facility argued in court that matters of health and public safety lay in the provinces.

What is a controlled injection room?

According to the Drug Policy Alliance: Supervised injection rooms are legally sanctioned facilities where people who use intravenous drugs can inject pre-obtained drugs under medical supervision. Supervised injection facilities are designed to reduce the health and societal problems associated with injection drug use.

Does a rehab facility improve injection behavior?

Studies further show that that use of such a facility tremendously improves the injection behavior of addicts. Indeed, it was noted that recovering addicts using the services did not show any indication of being negatively influenced using the facility.

Does a safe injection site lead to crime?

Several research findings have shown that a safe injection site leads to a crime decline in the community.

Is it safe to inject in the street?

Clients feel safer. Studies have shown that recovering addicts using the safe injection centers felt more physically and psychologically safe, as opposed to those injecting in the street. Injecting in the streets comes with a myriad of challenges. Many addicted women reported encountering incidences of sexual harassment and rape.

What is safe injection?

Safe injection practices are part of Standard Precautions and are aimed at maintaining basic levels of patient safety and provider protections. As defined by the World Health Organization, a safe injection does not harm the recipient, does not expose the provider to any avoidable risks and does not result in waste that is dangerous for ...

Why are injections used?

Injected medicines are commonly used in healthcare settings for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of various illnesses. Unsafe injection practices put patients and healthcare providers at risk of infectious and non-infectious adverse events and have been associated with a wide variety of procedures and settings. This harm is preventable. Safe injection practices are part of Standard Precautions and are aimed at maintaining basic levels of patient safety and provider protections. As defined by the World Health Organization, a safe injection does not harm the recipient, does not expose the provider to any avoidable risks and does not result in waste that is dangerous for the community. Visit the page on CDC’s role in safe injection practices.

What is a safe injection site?

Safe injection sites (SIS) are legally sanctioned, medically supervised facilities that are designed to curb drug overdoses and reduce public nuisance from illegal drug use, and provide a sterile and stress-free and supervised space where addicts can consume illicit recreational drugs intravenously without fear of being apprehended by police. These sites are also known as supervised injection sites (SIS), fix rooms, safer injection facilities, drug consumption facilities, and medically supervised injection centers. Proponents of SIS say these facilities save lives by curbing the instances of fatal overdoses and provide addicts with healthcare services and opportunities for detoxification and social rehabilitation.

How to reduce the harm of hepatitis?

Another method of reducing harm would be to expand funding for vaccines to protect against Hepatitis. Safe and effective vaccines already exist for Hepatitis B. Good programs to deliver the needed vaccinations to injection drug users and other vulnerable populations need to be readily identifiable and financed to reach those in need. Hepatitis C has no effective vaccine, although ongoing trials show promise. Efforts to continue to develop a good vaccine ought to be adequately financed and encouraged. Efforts to reduce harm must be strongly encouraged, both the harm from addiction itself and the health consequences that result from addiction.

How can we reduce harm?

One method of reducing harm would be to support and expand places that provide necessities of life to addicts and alcoholics, places where they are welcomed but their addiction is not. An excellent example of such services are the many centers sponsored and run by the Salvation Army.2

Does reasonable hope of benefit apply to illicit drugs?

However, reasonable hope of benefit applies to the administration and consumption of illicit recreational drugs, not the SIS itself. Thus, the primary question that must be answered by the medical professionals and ethicists is the following: does the consumption of illicit recreational drugs offer reasonable hope of benefit to the drug addict?

Why is it important to have a safe injection site?

The idea is that providing a safe injection site will reduce the risk of drug overdose and death, will decrease disease and infection caused by poor hygiene and facilities, and will increase individual exposure to options for treatment and recovery .

What are the benefits of safe injection sites?

Safe Injection Sites also result in: 1 Reduction of HIV and Hepatitis C spread in drug using communities. 2 Reduction in disease-spreading behavior such as sharing needles 3 Reducing overall disease and death and therefore medical costs 4 Reducing public injection and therefore public danger

Why are injection sites important?

For those with loved ones who are addicted, they can be even more important, because they represent a safe place to seek out information. They also give your loved one a safe place to use that does not involve sharing needles, potentially contracting diseases, or getting infections from using non-sterile equipment or water.

How many safe injection sites are there in the world?

There are currently over 170 Safe Injection Sites worldwide. While some, like in Vancouver, have been in place since the early 90s, most are very new and there is relatively little data showing how they impact their surrounding neighborhoods.

Why are people more likely to continue using drugs?

Without facing disease, needle shortage, or hardship, individuals may be more likely to continue using drugs. At the same time, the easy availability of needles and safe facilities may make individuals feel as though drug use is more accepted and okay, therefore allowing them to continue using.

Is a safe injection site a positive or negative?

So, the likely impact of a Safe Injection Site on crime is likely to be none or positive rather than negative. Safe Injection Sites Cost Money – Most people don’t want to fund someone else’s drug use and for good reason.

Do safe injection sites sell drugs?

They do not handle, provide, sell, or administer drugs at any time. Many are also capable of referring individuals to drug treatment and rehab centers, where they can get help for their problems. In most cases, Safe Injection Sites also offer stocks of overdose prevention medication such as Naloxone, have the ability to quickly get an individual ...

What is SIF in addiction?

Safe Injection Facilities (SIF) and related services are an effective and practical model towards addressing substance use and associated problems. Research indicates that SIFs are credited with a reduction in community problems related to injection drug use such as public drug use and littering of needles , reduction in overdose related mortality, and a reduction in communicable disease transmission. In addition, SIFs have facilitated and improved access to ongoing addiction treatment. SIFs actually reduce drug use and addiction.

Why is heroin dangerous?

People who use heroin are now at significant risk for overdose death, mainly because the opioid content can vary considerably from dose to dose. Previously, a little too much could have caused a decrease in respiratory rate and a high dose could lead to overdose.

Is it illegal to inject in supervised environments?

Currently it’s still illegal in the US to allow people to inject in these supervised environments, but the tide is turning. The city of Ithaca, NY is contemplating a safe injection space, as is Seattle. Multiple studies have confirmed that they work.

Can you inject in a building?

By current law, individuals can’t inject inside the building. They have to take their chances outside and then they can come inside to be monitored after injecting. I initially envisioned the facility to be sterile, dirty, and depressing. Instead, I was surprised to see that it looked like a living room.

Is a syphilis disease treatable?

It leads people to make choices that destroy their lives and the lives of others, such as loss of job, isolation and loss of relationships, incarceration, and even death. We also now know that this is a treatable disease, but the window for successful treatment depends on the psychological state of the person.

Is there a comparison between juvenile diabetes and substance abuse?

There is NO comparison between Juvenile Diabetes and Substance Abuse Disorder. As a parent of an 18th month old child diagnosed with Type I Diabetes, is a nightmare at the thought of missing or not adhering strict regimen of 24 hours vigilant monitoring of constant fluctuating blood sugar level and balancing it with the correct dosages, activities, food intake (calorie counts) and illnesses (minor cold, plain diarrhea).#N#My child will die or have permanent brain damage if I don’t or miss any strict life sustaining regimen. The permanent damage of the pancreas, his only available option is the INJECTION and poking fingers for blood sugar level (thank GOD for new innovations).#N#Substance abuse I get it – TO FEEL GOOD VS to sustaining life.#N#How on earth would you compare between the 2 diagnosis.

Why are safe injection sites important?

New research shows that safe injection sites offer many advantages over needle exchange programs in preventing opioid overdoses and deaths. Doctors say the benefits of the sites include decreased risk of death and strain on the healthcare system, and increased access to treatment. Safe injection sites are a proven success in other parts ...

What is the principle of safe injection sites?

Kauffman said that safe injection sites operate on the principle of harm reduction: the idea that it’s more pragmatic to decrease the risk of harm, like death or infection, than to tell people to simply stop using drugs.

Does safe injection help prevent overdose?

The study, released by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), found that safe injection sites help prevent deaths from drug overdoses when compared with needle exchange programs. Dr. David Rind, ICER’s chief medical officer, noted that policymakers are often hesitant to adopt these programs. “However, the evidence we reviewed ...

Is safe injection site effective?

New research shows that safe injection sites are an effective option for reducing harm among people who inject drugs.

Why are safe injection sites built?

Safe injection sites are built on the premise that our goal should be to reduce the harm caused by drugs—not to punish those who use them. This stands in stark contrast to the DOJ’s position that it is not the harm caused by drugs but drug use itself that we should work to combat.

What happens if you try to open up a safe injection site?

The federal government is sending a clear signal: if you try to open up a safe injection site, they will prosecute you.

Why is the federal government so against the establishment of safe injection sites?

Rosenstein, it’s because these sites “create serious public safety risks” and “destroy the surrounding community.” However, as we have seen, the evidence leans strongly against the conclusion that safe injections sites pose more public safety risks than they alleviate or that they destroy the communities that surround them. The more likely reason for this strong opposition is that safe injection sites undermine the DOJ’s position that drug use should be treated as a crime rather than a public health issue.

Why haven't injection facilities started operating?

So why haven't they started operating yet? The answer is fairly simple: there is a strong possibility that they are currently illegal.

Is it illegal to open injection sites?

The complaint asks the court to declare safe injection sites illegal under the Controlled Substances Act. The federal government is sending a clear signal: if you try to open up a safe injection site, they will prosecute you.

Is the DOJ fighting safe injection sites?

Regardless of the true intent behind these actions, it is clear that the DOJ plans to fight safe injection sites tooth and nail.

Do Safe Injection Sites Really Help?

See more on verywellmind.com

What Efforts to Help Illegal Drugs Users Exist in The U.S. Now?

Will Safe Injection Sites Come to The U.S.?