Welcome back to the conclusion of our discussion on the opioid crisis and safe injection sites. Last week in part one, we discussed the history of opioids and heroin, and chronic addiction often stemmed from prescription drug use after medical procedure recovery. However, this continued use of drugs is not just due to the nature of the drugs themselves.

The other side of the addiction coin can be attributed to the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture the drugs in the first place. In 2017, Purdue Pharma was sued by the city of Everett, Washington, USA for its overproduction of OxyContin, an opioid, which gave rise to the current opioid crisis there. Lindsey Richards, a recovering heroin addict, told NBC News that the supply of OxyContin was everywhere and easily available. Purdue Pharma allegedly dealt the drugs in massive quantities to “suspicious” physicians and pharmacies in the masses. The massive quantity and drug-pushing by physicians caused the current opioid crisis in Everett, much like many other major North American cities like Toronto. In other words, the current drug users may only be addicted to opioids and/or heroin because they were part of a sinister marketing strategy designed so the large pharmaceutical companies could profit off the addiction. I implore you to see that the victims in this scenario are indeed the users. But the general population treats them as criminals and deviants rather than with compassion and pity. 

According to CBC, in early 2019, paramedics responded to 1,307 suspected opioid overdose calls with 71 of them resulting in death. Imagine if paramedics were not there to provide aid and how many more deaths would have occurred. Safe injection sites function with the same intent: to provide a safe space with health officials to monitor the injection of drugs and avoid fatal overdoses. People who frequent these establishments are not dangerous people, but rather individuals who value their life and are seeking help. With greater funding, these facilities can increase in frequency and educational/counselling services to truly help these people. According to TIME magazine, evidence has been shown that safe injection sites save lives, reduce public disorder associated with drugs, and lead to a drop in HIV transmission. We should strive for a community where those seeking help are not attacked and squashed but welcomed with respect and compassion as they find their way to a healthier life. The funding should also be used to develop a community awareness campaign. People often fear the unknown and what they do not understand. So greater education is the answer.

These methods are a great starting point to bring us out of the abyss, but the long-term strategy should consider legalization and decriminalization of non-recreational drugs such as heroin and opioids. According to TIME magazine, Portugal became the first country in the world to accomplish this feat in 2001. The effects have been extraordinary for a country who was in a full-blown drug crisis prior to then. The percentage of people in prison for drug law violations decreased from 44% (1999) to 24% (2013). Violators of the new possession laws are typically sent to commissions for rehabilitation and counselling. TIME magazine notes that there is “no distinction between hard or soft drugs”, so the focus is on the relationship of the user with the drugs and not the drugs themselves. Additionally, a study in 2015 revealed that the per capita social cost of drug misuse was decreased by 18%, so there were also significant cost savings for the country as well. If the stigma surrounding drug use can be removed, TIME Magazine figures that healthcare works will be better equipped to assist drug users, and drug users will likely ensure their personal safety upon usage is paramount as opposed to hiding from shame and hate. This strategy may not be a popular option currently, but it is a conversation that should be engaged sooner than later. 

People addicted to opioids need our help because they are fighting a system that caused their addiction. We need the new narrative to be one of compassion and hope instead of opposition and fear. A healthy community is a prosperous community. People’s lives depend on it, and everyone deserves a life worth living no matter the conditions that brought them there.