Support can keep you alive

By Eleanor Dhillon

Windsorites hoping to set up a local safe injection site are upset about the government cutting funding to many sites around the province.

A mock site was launched in Windsor at the beginning of August 2018. It was introduced to help bring down the number of opioid related deaths and overdoses in the city. It was not a fully operating site. It had to be introduced as a mock site due to the risk of threats and being arrested and charged by Windsor Police.

On Friday, March 29, the Ontario government announced they would be cutting the funds for official safe injection sites. Many residents said they are shocked and disappointed that something like this would happen in a time of crisis.

Brandon Bailey, a member of the Windsor Overdose Prevention Committee said the safe sites should be made legal in Windsor to begin helping people battling their addictions.

“People could go to the other sites, but with them being a farther distance, it is very unlikely they will travel the extra, some might but many will not,” said Bailey. “To me, the importance of a safe site is life or death, it helps people who may have no one to turn to and gives them an opportunity to have extra, non-judgmental support.”

Bailey is worried that without the funding, people will continue to use unsafe places like public bathrooms and alleyways. Although there are other sites located around the province, they are not all within travelling distance for many of the people that use their services.

“We were mostly worried about trying to give a safe space to use drugs, and then police coming to arrest them,” said Bailey.

Star Meloche is also a member of the Windsor overdose prevention committee who said she believes the Ontario government has no interest in what is best for the most marginalized people in Ontario. Meloche said the cuts of funding will affect many people in the community, and make it less secure.

“It puts my friends at higher risk of overdosing, and lacking resources they need to survive,” said Meloche. “The funding cuts affect my community’s sense of hope and the perpetuation of the stigma against addicts which, in the end, hurts us all.”

Meloche said the sites are important because they are accessible and they are a lower barrier entrance to the wider social, health and mental health care system for some of the people who are most in need. She is worried that without the sites, too many people will be scared to reach out for help because of the fear of being judged, or labelled as a criminal.

“Sometimes they may try to ask friends for help or supervision, but these friends are untrained, without resources, often using as well,” said Meloche. “The health resources currently available are often already over capacity, and often feel inaccessible to the majority of the people accessing the safe injection sites.”

Bailey said he has dedicated himself to helping people suffering from addiction in many ways and said he will do anything in his power to keep the sites going.

“To the people who are having their services funding cut, we will do everything in our power to make sure that these sites will not close,” said Bailey. “We will not let you die.”