Mayor Shoemaker: Supervised Consumption Site should go downtown, but not on Queen Street
The opioid epidemic is a global issue, and the Sault Ste. Marie community is not immune to its effects. However, the city still does not have a supervised consumption site where addicts can use street drugs safely and under the supervision of trained staff. Mayor Matthew Shoemaker believes that a supervised consumption site would save lives and reduce the spread of infectious diseases.
Research has shown that supervised consumption sites lower the risk of accidental overdoses, provide a starting point for users looking for treatment and withdrawal services, and reduce the spread of infectious diseases. In a city with the third-highest overdose rate in the province, a supervised consumption site is long overdue.
The city is currently doing research to determine the best location for the facility. Mayor Shoemaker believes that the supervised consumption site should be located downtown, where people are most afflicted with addiction issues. However, he does not want it on Queen Street, which is the city’s main commercial business area.
Mayor Shoemaker emphasized that the benefits of a supervised consumption site are clear and that it is a matter of when, not if, the facility is built. He believes that having the right mix of services will improve the city’s statistics and help solve the problem of addiction.
The final decision on the location of the facility will be made after community members have had the opportunity to voice their opinions. The process is complex and involves various permits from the federal and provincial governments, as well as questions about who will pay for what.
The mayor’s interview with SooToday covered a wide range of topics, including the old hospital site, improving safety in the downtown core, and a local landlord who owes the city $381,000 in unpaid fines for fire and building code violations.
- Supervised consumption site Sault
- Sault Ste. Marie drug use
- Harm reduction video
- Drug addiction treatment
- Safe injection sites Ontario
News Source : SooToday.com
Source Link :VIDEO: Where is ideal spot for Sault’s supervised consumption site?/