CBC News: The Fifth Estate- “Staying Alive”

(Thanks Graham for bringing my attention to this episode; it was really interesting to watch and gave me a lot of perspective on the topic.)

Before watching this particular Fifth Estate episode, I really didn’t have a strong stand on whether Insite was a good or bad idea. I had heard arguments from both sides- and saw the justfication in both. After watching the brief 40- minute presentation, I still see the justification of both sides; however, I did manage to gather more thoughts on it.

The point in Insite is not to encourage drug users to shoot up; in my opinion, drug users do not need encouragement to do drugs, they are already physically and psychology addicted, which means they are going to shoot up whether there is or isn’t a safe place for it.  Insite provides that environment for them, and ensures that these drug users are using clean needles and not overdosing. In the video I saw staff walking around, checking on each user to make sure he or she is still alive and breathing.

Who is there to do that if these drug users are left to inject on the street?

Without the proper resources, users are forced to share needles (or even pick them off the street) in order to get their next fix. Some are afraid to sleep at night in fear that they will be robbed, which turns them to more drugs in order to stay awake throughout the night. Although Insite does not provide housing, they put forward their best efforts in order to help those who are seeking it. Darwin Fisher, the Intake Manager, is continuously making phone calls to help set up housing and doctor’s appointments. He even walks around Vancouver when he feels he hasn’t seen a particular user in awhile, to make sure that he or she is still alive.

Watching this video only scratched the surface in my knowledge of this topic; however, there is a lot more to it and many opinions for and against it. In my eyes, addiction will exist even if Insite were to shut down; and the problem then would be increased disease, crime, and homelessness. Users do not wake up and decide to stop using just because there is no place or materials for it. That is the power of addiction; it will take you to places you’ve never seen to do things you would never imagine doing. Insite is simply providing a service so that users do not have cross that line, in hopes of bringing them some hope and resources to get out of the drug world.

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