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Drug policy in Canada is in desperate need of reform. Effective drug policy must empower drug users to take measures to protect their health and to reduce the harms associated with drug use. We believe that in the interest of health and human rights, the criminalization of addiction must be replaced with evidence-based policies that include effective systems of health care provision and drug regulation. Taking our lead from drug users themselves, we work for changes that will meet the most pressing needs of people living with addictions, including timely access to a range of harm reduction, drug substitution and treatment options in their own communities.
health and drug policy
Current Projects
Right to harm reduction services – We are preparing to challenge a set of by-laws in the City of Abbotsford that prevent harm reduction services from operating in the municipality. The case is about ensuring that life-saving health services, such as needle exchanges, are available to all people who use illicit drugs regardless of what municipality they live in. We are also looking at the legal issues that prevent doctors from providing heroin-assisted therapy to people suffering from opiate addiction despite substantial local and international research demonstrating that this form of therapy is highly successful in reducing the harms associated with opiate use among some patients.
Methadone Maintenance Task Force- In July 2011, Vancouver City Council passed a motion calling for a working group with the Province, the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the College of Pharmacists, local health authorities, the B.C. Coroner’s Office, patient groups and other stakeholders to address alleged Methadone Maintenance Therapy abuses is some Downtown Eastside single room occupancy hotels. Pivot will participating on the task force as legal experts.
Past Victories
InSite Supervised Injection Facility - In 2004 Pivot received an Award for Action on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights from the Canadian Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS for its work to establish the first sanctioned supervised injection site in North America. Pivot provided legal support for an unofficial safe injection site which preceded the opening of the Provincial government-funded facility. Since then, Pivot has been active in the lengthy legal battle to keep the supervised injection site open in the face of Federal Government opposition. In September of 2011, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that InSite can continue to operate and provide life-saving health services to injection drug users.
Defending Health Services for Drug Users - In 2001, the Health Contact Centre opened at Hastings and Main to provide low-barrier medical care to people living in the Downtown Eastside. A coalition of business groups calling itself the “Community Alliance” launched a legal petition against the centre, which served many people living with addictions. Pivot represented the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) in the case. Focusing on the impact of closing the centre on its users, Pivot persuaded the Community Alliance to abandon the challenge.