Richmond will not have a stand-alone supervised consumption site following confirmation from Vancouver Coastal Health that such a site is not the most appropriate service for those at risk of an overdose in the City.
On Tuesday, February 13, Richmond City Council voted to proceed with a study of the feasibility of creating a supervised consumption site in Richmond. The Motion recognized that any such site would require support from Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH).
As the local health agency, VCH is responsible for an application to Health Canada for an exemption under Section 56.1 of the Controlled Drug and Substances Act. Council and the City of Richmond cannot open or operate a supervised consumption site. Only VCH or an agency approved by Health Canada can do so.
On Wednesday, February 14, VCH issued a statement that a stand-alone supervised consumption site “is not the most appropriate service for those at risk of overdose in Richmond”. As a result, it will not be moving forward with a stand-alone supervised consumption site in the City.
VCH stated that stand-alone sites work best in communities where there is a significant concentration of people at-risk and, based on public health data, will continue working with the City of Richmond to assess how it can strengthen overdose prevention services and keep people in the local community safe.
Supervised consumption sites provide a safe location for individuals with an addiction to administer their own drugs under the supervision of a qualified health professional. They do not hand out drugs to users and do not encourage drug use. They provide important access to addiction treatment and recovery services operated by VCH and other health partners.
Council remains committed to ensuring services are in place to support residents living with an addiction as well as recreational drug users. The City respects VCH’s position as the lead health agency and will work with them to identify appropriate solutions for Richmond, despite confirming there will be no stand-alone supervised consumption site.
列治文不會設立受監督的獨立毒品使用場所
在溫哥華沿岸衛生局(Vancouver Coastal Health)確認，對於列治文市內有吸毒過量風險的人來說，受監督的獨立毒品使用場所並不是最適合的服務後，列治文將不會設立這種場所。
2月13日（星期二），列治文市議會投票決定，研究在列治文市內設立受監督毒品使用場所的可行性。該動議並確定，這種場所需要獲得溫哥華沿岸衛生局的支持。
溫哥華沿岸衛生局是本地衛生機構，負責根據《受管制藥物及毒品法》第56.1條的規定，向加拿大衛生部申請豁免。列治文市政府和市議會並不能設立或經營受監督毒品使用場所，只有溫哥華沿岸衛生局或獲加拿大衛生部批准的機構才可以。
2月14日（星期三），溫哥華沿岸衛生局發表聲明稱，受監督的獨立毒品使用場所，「對於列治文市內有吸毒過量風險的人來說，並不是最適合的服務」；該市因此將不會設立受監督的獨立毒品使用場所。
溫哥華沿岸衛生局聲稱，在高風險族群非常集中的社區，獨立毒品使用場所才會效果顯著。衛生局將繼續與列治文市合作，根據公共衛生數據評估，如何加強濫藥過量的預防服務，確保社區安全。
受監督毒品使用場所，為有毒癮人士提供個人安全使用毒品的場所，讓他們在有資格的專業醫療人員的監督下，使用自己帶來的毒品。該場所不鼓勵吸毒，更不向吸毒者派發毒品，並會向吸毒者轉介溫哥華沿岸衛生局及其他醫療機構所提供的戒毒及康復服務。
儘管如今確定不會有受監督的獨立毒品使用場所，市議會仍然致力確保，為有毒癮及消閒吸毒的居民提供支援服務。市政府尊重溫哥華沿岸衛生局作為主管衛生事務機構的地位，並將與衛生局合作，為列治文研究適當的解決方案。