The Need for an Inhalation Overdose Prevention Site

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Re: The need for an inhalation overdose prevention site in New Westminster

On Behalf of The New Westminster Homelessness Coalition Society

The drug toxicity crisis in New Westminster, and across British Columbia, has presented new dangers to the safety of substance users in the form of a drastic increase in overdose events related to the smoking and inhalation of opioid drugs. In fact, 65% of all overdose deaths in 2023 involved smoking drugs, compared to just 15% that involved injection. Consequently, the effectiveness of harm reduction approaches like overdose prevention sites relies on the provision of sites that allow substance users to more safely engage in inhalation substance use.

Such sites already exist in other local jurisdictions, including Vancouver and Surrey. These programs demonstrate that steps can be taken to ensure that both staff and service users are safe at these sites, through adequate ventilation and other safety precautions.

It is important to consider that this is a public health emergency that we are responding to, and that failing to act to mitigate this public health emergency has consequences not only for substance users, but for other community members as well. The alternative to an inhalation site in New Westminster is to have inhalation drug use happen in public spaces, like in the vicinity of local businesses, where both the substance user and other community members are put at greater risk. The failure to provide this service will also burden city staff, police, EMS and hospital resources, that could be better utilized to serve other community needs. The cost and resource savings to these services as a result of creating an inhalation site will far exceed the cost of creating and running such a site.

If this were any other public health concern, and the City was being asked to facilitate the provision of healthcare services to residents in the community in which they live, there would be no question about whether it was in everyone’s best interests to have that service located where it is needed. Additionally, given the nature of substance use and addiction, the expectation that substance users will commute to other jurisdictions to access these services is neither realistic nor responsible. Ultimately, the provision of an inhalation safe consumption site in New Westminster is not only a question of doing what is right to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all residents of the city, but also a simple matter of common sense and pragmatism in the midst of a public health crisis.

We strongly urge the City of New Westminster to execute a plan to establish an inhalation overdose prevention site in the City of New Westminster as quickly and efficiently as possible. A failure to do so will cost lives and endanger our community.

Sincerely,
The New Westminster Homelessness Coalition Society

NWHCS Board Chair Jack York addressed City Council on February 24th regarding this issue.