ROTHENBURGER: Drug consumption sites for kids not so outrageous
SAFE DRUG-CONSUMPTION sites for kids? Has B.C.’s drug problem gotten so out of hand that we now have to provide children with a place to do drugs?
Apparently, yes. A report last weekend from the province’s Representative for Children and Youth recommends a comprehensive harm-reduction program for young people. Included would be a range of services from education and materials encouraging prevention and safer substance use, better information on already available services, and supervised consumption sites.
The consumption sites are, undoubtedly, the most controversial. And when I suggest the report is talking about supervised sites for children, I’m not exaggerating.
Last year, 24 B.C. young people between the ages of 10 and 18 died from unintentional drug overdoses — including heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and other drugs. This year through October, another 14 fatally OD’d. And there’s no end in sight.