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=== SIS sites and social disorder === A longitudinal study{{snd}}Urban Social Issues Study (USIS){{snd}}from January 2018 and February 2019{{snd}}undertaken by [[University of Lethbridge]]'s professor Em M. Pijl and commissioned by the [[Lethbridge|City of Lethbridge]], [[Alberta]], Canada explore "any unintended consequences" of supervised consumption services (SCS) within the "surrounding community".<ref name="Pijl_20200113">{{cite report|url=https://agendas.lethbridge.ca/AgendaOnline/Documents/ViewDocument/ATTACHMENT%202_%20REPORT.pdf?meetingId=2605&documentType=Agenda&itemId=66113&publishId=51948&isSection=false|title=Urban social issues study: Impacts of the Lethbridge supervised consumption site on the local neighbourhood|last=Pijl|first=Em M.|date=January 13, 2020|publisher=[[University of Lethbridge]] for the [[Lethbridge|City of Lethbridge]]|pages=102|access-date=January 26, 2020}} Report commissioned by the [[Lethbridge|City of Lethbridge]]</ref>{{rp|16}} The USIS study was undertaken in response to a drug crisis in Lethbridge that impacted "many neighbourhoods in many different ways." Researchers studied the "perceptions and observations of social disorder by business owners and operators" in a neighborhood where SCS was introduced.<ref name="Pijl_20200113"/>{{rp|16}} The report cautioned, that drug abuse-related antisocial behavior in Lethbridge, in particular, and in cities, in general, has increased, as the "quantity and type of drugs in circulation" increases. As the use of [[crystal meth]] eclipses the use of opiates, users exhibit more "erratic behavior". Crystal meth and other "uppers" also "require more frequent use" than "downers" like opiates.<ref name="Pijl_20200113"/>{{rp|11}} The report also notes that not all social disorder in communities that have a SCS, can be "unequivocally and entirely attributed" to the SCS, partly because of the "ongoing drug epidemic."<ref name="Pijl_20200113"/>{{rp|11}} Other variables that explain increased anti-social behaviour includes an increase in the number of people aggregating outdoors as part of seasonal trends with warmer temperatures.<ref name="Pijl_20200113"/>{{rp|16}} [[Philadelphia]]'s ''[[WPVI-TV]]'' Action News team traveled to [[Toronto]], Canada in 2018 to make first hand field observations of several safe consumption sites already in operation. A drug addict interviewed by the reporter said she visits the site to obtain supply, but did not stick around and used the supplies to shoot up drugs elsewhere and acknowledged the site attracts drug users and drug dealers. A neighbor interviewed by the reporter said there was drug use before, but he reports it has increased since the site opened.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last=Pradelli|first=Chad|url=https://6abc.com/health/opioid-crisis-action-news-investigates-safe-injection-sites/3790196/|title=Opioid Crisis: Action News investigates safe injection sites in Canada|date=July 18, 2018|work=WPVI-TV Action News|access-date=March 22, 2020}}</ref> WPVI-TV's Chad Pradelli narrated the news team's observation as: <blockquote>Over the two days we sat outside several of Toronto's safe injection facilities, we witnessed prevalent drug use out front, drug deals, and even violence. We watched as one man harassed several people passing by on the sidewalk, even putting one in a chokehold. One guy decided to fight back and security arrived.<ref name=":1" /></blockquote> ==== Sydney, Australia ==== The Sydney MSIC client survey conducted in 2005, found that public injecting (defined as injecting in a street, park, public toilet or car), which is a high risk practice with both health and public amenity impacts, was reported as the main alternative to injecting at the MSIC by 78% of clients. 49% of clients indicated resorting to public injection if the MSIC was not available on the day of registration with the MSIC. From this, the evaluators calculated a total 191,673 public injections averted by the centre.<ref name="ReferenceA">NCHECR, {{cite web |url=https://kirby.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/kirby/report/EvalRep4SMSIC.pdf|title= Sydney Medically Supervised Injecting Centre Evaluation Report No. 4 |access-date= 2019-02-06 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180417040816/https://kirby.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/kirby/report/EvalRep4SMSIC.pdf |archive-date= 2018-04-17 }} 2007 pp. 7, 39</ref> ==== Vancouver, Canada ==== Observations before and after the opening of the [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]], Canada Insite facility indicated a reduction in public injecting. "Self-reports" of INSITE users and "informal observations" at INSITE, Sydney and some European SISs suggest that SISs "can reduce rates of public self-injection."<ref name="hc-sc.gc.ca" />{{quantify|date=May 2019}} ==== Alberta, Canada ==== In response to the opioid epidemic in the province of Alberta, the [[Alberta Health Services]]'s (AHS), [[Ministry of Health (Alberta)|Alberta Health]], Indigenous Relations, Justice and Solicitor General including the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and the [[College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta]] met to discuss potential solutions. In the November 2016 Alberta Health report that resulted from that meeting, the introduction of supervised consumption services, along with numerous other responses to the crisis, was listed as a viable solution.<ref name="AHS_OpioidReport_20161130">{{Cite journal| title = Responding to Alberta's Opioid Crisis |access-date=January 26, 2020 |journal=Alberta Health Services (AHS), Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health |series= Public progress report |pages=9|date=November 30, 2016 |url=https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/274226b9-b947-401a-93de-b34212824b03/resource/29e3d001-2114-4269-bac4-92a839c4149e/download/CMOH-Opioid-Progress-Report-2016-01.pdf }}</ref>{{rp|1}} The 2016 Alberta Health report stated that, SIS, "reduce overdose deaths, improve access to medical and social supports, and are not found to increase drug use and criminal activity."<ref name="AHS_OpioidReport_20161130"/>{{rp|3}} According to January 2020 ''[[Edmonton Journal]]'' editorial, by 2020 Alberta had seven SIS with a "100-per-cent success rate at reversing the more than 4,300 overdoses" that occurred from November 2017{{snd}}when the first SIS opened in the province{{snd}}until August 2019.<ref name="edmontonjournal_20200124">{{Cite news | series = Editorial |title=Balanced view of consumption sites required |newspaper= [[Edmonton Journal]] |first1=Colin |last1=McGarrigle |first2=Dave |last2=Breakenridge |first3=Bill |last3=Mah|access-date=January 26, 2020| date =January 24, 2020| url = https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-balanced-view-of-consumption-sites-required}}</ref> ===== Calgary: Safeworks Supervised Consumption Services (SCS) ===== Safeworks was located at the [[Sheldon M. Chumir Centre|Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre]], which operated for several months, as a temporary facility, became fully operational starting April 30, 2018 with services available 24 hours, 7 days a week.<ref name="AHS_SCS_20190426">{{Citation|work=[[Alberta Health Services]] (AHS)|access-date=January 26, 2020|date=April 11, 2019 | url = https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/amh/if-amh-sup-con-chumir-2019-03.pdf |series=Safeworks Monthly Report |title= March 2019: Supervised Consumption Services |pages=4}}</ref>{{rp|1}} From the day it initially launched in October 30, 2017 to March 31, 2019, 71,096 people had used its services<ref name="AHS_SCS_20190426" />{{rp|1}} The staff "responded to a total of 954 overdoses."<ref name="AHS_SCS_20190426" />{{rp|2}} In one month alone, "848 unique individuals" made 5,613 visits to the SCS.<ref name="AHS_SCS_20190426" />{{rp|1}} Its program is monitored by the Province of Alberta in partnership with the Institute of Health Economics.<ref name="AHS_SCS_20190426" />{{rp|2}} In the City of Lethbridge's commissioned 2020 102-page report, the author noted that "Calgary's Sheldon Chumir SCS has received considerable negative press about the "rampant" social disorder around the SCS, a neighbourhood that is mixed residential and commercial."<ref name="Pijl_20200113"/>{{rp|15}} According to a May 2019 ''Calgary Herald'' article, the 250 meter radius around the safe consumption site Safeworks in [[Calgary]] located within the [[Sheldon M. Chumir Centre]] has seen a major spike in crime since its opening and described in a report by the police as having become "ground zero for drug, violent and property crimes in the downtown." Within this zone, statistics by the police in 2018 showed a call volume increase to the police by 276% for drug related matters 29% overall increase relative to the three-year average statistics.<ref name="CalgaryHearld_Hudes">{{Cite web|url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/crime/incremental-improvement-but-crime-still-plagues-area-around-safe-consumption-site-in-beltline |first=Sammy |last=Hudes |date=May 21, 2019 |access-date=January 26, 2020|title=Crime near Calgary's only safe consumption site remains a concern |newspaper= Calgary Herald}}</ref> In May 2019, the ''Calgary Herald'', said that [[Health Canada]] announced in February 2019 of approval for Siteworks to operate for another year, conditional to addressing neighborhood safety issues, drug debris and public disorder.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/breakenridge-fix-crime-issues-around-safeworks-or-risk-losing-its-valuable-service|title=Breakenridge: Fix crime issues around Safeworks or risk losing it {{!}} Calgary Herald|last=Breakenridge|first=Rob|work=calgaryherald |date=2019-02-05|language=en|access-date=2019-10-11}}</ref> There has been a plan for mobile safe consumption site intending to operate in the [[Forest Lawn, Calgary|Forest Lawn, Calgary, Alberta]], however in response to the statistics at the permanent site at the Sheldon M. Chumir Centre, community leaders have withdrawn their support.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/forest-lawn-community-leaders-withdraw-support-for-mobile-safe-consumption-vehicle|title=Forest Lawn withdraws support for mobile safe consumption vehicle {{!}} Calgary Herald|last=Logan|first=Shawn|work=calgaryherald |date=2019-02-05|language=en|access-date=2019-10-11}}</ref> By September 2019, the number of overdose treatment at Safeworks spiked. The staff were overwhelmed and 13.5% of their staff took psychological leave. They have had dealt with 134 overdose reversals in 2019 which was 300% more than the same time period from the previous year. The center's director reported they're dealing with an average of one overdose reversal every other day.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/spike-in-overdose-treatments-overwhelms-staff-at-calgary-shelters-1.4589807|title=Spike in overdose treatments overwhelms staff at Calgary shelters|last=Villani|first=Mark|date=September 12, 2019|work=CTV News Calgary|access-date=October 25, 2019}}</ref> ===== Lethbridge: ARCHES (Closed August 2020) ===== In response to the mounting death toll of drug overdose in Lethbridge, the city opened its first SCS in February, 2018.<ref name="Pijl_20200113"/>{{rp|15}} The controversial<ref>{{Cite web|last=Goulet|first=Justin|title=ARCHES ceases supervised consumption services in Lethbridge|url=https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2020/08/31/arches-ceases-supervised-consumption-services-in-lethbridge-2/|access-date=2020-09-26|website=Lethbridge News Now|language=en}}</ref> SCS, known as [[ARCHES Lethbridge|ARCHES]] was once the busiest SCS in North America.<ref name=":3" /> The province defunded ARCHES after an audit ordered by government discovered misuse and mismanagement of public monies. Around 70% of ARCHES funding comes from the province,<ref name=":4" /> and it chose to shut it down on August 31, 2020 after the funding was revoked.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|last=Fletcher|first=Robson|date=September 23, 2020|title=Opioid overdoses spike amid COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 3 Albertans dying per day|work=CBC|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-q2-2020-opioid-deaths-1.5735931}}</ref> The audit found โfunding misappropriation, non-compliance with grant agreement [and] inappropriate governance and organizational operations.โ<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=MLA Shannon Phillips and others react to ARCHES losing provincial funding after government-ordered audit|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7189990/arches-lethbridge-supervised-consumption-audit-reaction/|access-date=2020-09-26|website=Global News|language=en-US}}</ref> The Alberta government requested that the site be investigated for possible criminal misuse of funds.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last1=Bourne|first1=Kirby|last2=Therien|first2=Eloise|date=July 16, 2020|title=Government pulls grant funding from Lethbridge safe consumption site citing fund mismanagement|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7184155/arches-lethbridge-grant-funding-safe-consumption-site/|access-date=2020-09-26|website=Globalnews.ca|language=en-US}}</ref> Shortly afterwards, Lethbridge Police Service announced that the funds, which had previously been reported as missing, had been present and accounted for in bank accounts belonging to the SCS. Acting Inspector Pete Christos stated that the initial auditors did not have the means to determine whether money was missing, and confirmed that, during police interviews with Arches staff, all spent funds had been accounted for. Police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh told reporters that the Alberta Justice Specialized Prosecutions Branch supported the police's findings and were not recommending criminal charges.<ref name=":LPSfunds">{{cite news |last1=Vogt |first1=Terry |title=Missing ARCHES funds accounted for: Lethbridge police |url=https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/missing-arches-funds-accounted-for-lethbridge-police-1.5241779 |access-date=25 April 2023 |work=CTV News Calgary |publisher=CTV News |date=December 22, 2020}}</ref> The City of Lethbridge commissioned a report that included an Urban Social Issues Study (USIS) which examined unintended consequences of the SIS site in Lethbridge.<ref name="Pijl_20200113" /> The research found that in smaller cities, such as Lethbridge, that in communities with a SCS, social disorder may be more noticeable. The report's author, [[University of Lethbridge]]'s Em M. Pijl, said that news media tended to the "personal experiences of business owners and residents who work and/or live near an SCS", which contrasts with "scholarly literature that demonstrates a lack of negative neighbourhood impacts related to SCSs."<ref name="Pijl_20200113" />{{rp|14}}
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