Frequently Asked Questions about Safe Injection Sites

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Safe injection sites are supervised centers that allow substance users to self administer their drugs. They provide the user an environment to use their drugs that has access to immediate treatment in case of overdoses. They also provide safe, sterile equipment for them to use also with resources to test if their drugs have been laced with fentanyl or other drugs. The center does not provide the drugs in any capacity, the users are able to obtain drugs anyway, and this gives them a safe environment to use.

Safe injection sites have shown to be effective in many different facets. They are excellent at preventing deaths because they provide immediate resources to treat the substance users at the scene. Their establishment has also affected the community. Overall they reduce overdoses in the community, transmission of blood viral infection, increase care to addicts, and overall decrease public use and crime. These ideas are not just theoretical. They have been implemented in areas like Vancouver, Canada, and the results have been promising. In a two-year period (2003-2005), they saw severe decreases in sex trade activity, thefts, shoplifting, and assault. In the two years, they saw over 3.5 million patients and had 6,000 overdoses; however, there were no deaths due to the immediate access to the resources and supervision.

Source: https://www.jcred.org/shortreads/the-power-of-safe-injection-sites 

Medical assisted treatment is a treatment method that combines medication and therapies to treat substance use. This is used for recovery but also to prevent overdoses. In this treatment, however, the patient must actively be willing to receive the treatment, and if they ever decide to stop and begin using again, they could fall back into the dangerous methods. Safe injection sites also require the user to voluntarily go there, but they are able to target and treat the dangerous effects when they occur.

HIV stands for "human immunodeficiency virus" and is a virus that attacks the host's immune system and leaves them susceptible to many infections. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency virus and is an advanced stage of HIV. HIV does not always mature to AIDS, but AIDS is always a late-stage HIV. There is no cure, but there are treatments using antiretroviral therapy to allow them to live longer and prevent transmitting it to other people.

HIV is transmitted through fluids like blood, sex, and sharing drug injection equipment. The symptoms include fevers, chills, sweats, swollen lymph nodes, etc. There are no complete cures to the disease, but there are treatments for the symptoms to lessen the severity and protect the sexual partners of the person who is infected. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the current medication, which stops the virus from replicating and allows the immune system to fix itself.

One of the most common ways of HIV transmission is through the blood to blood contact. The use of intravenous drugs if users share needles and other instruments they are more likely to contract HIV. Safe injection sites provide the users with clean and sterile equipment which prevents blood-to-blood contact. A study with the Vancouver sites showed that the users who regularly went to the site were 70% less likely to share needles, reducing the risk of contracting HIV.

Source: http://www.communityinsite.ca/pdf/mar-18-ctv-safe-injection-sites-reduce-hiv-spread.pdf 

Hepatitis B and C are types of hepatitis that can be spread through the blood to blood contact. Hepatitis B can be a short-lived or chronic disease that impacts the liver. There is no cure. Some people have no symptoms, but others may experience fatigue, stomach pain, jaundice, etc. It can also be passed through bodily fluids as well. Hepatitis C also affects the liver and can range from short-term to chronic disease. Usually, it does not come with any symptoms until it develops into the advanced stages of liver disease. There is a cure and different treatments.

Hepatitis B has no cure, but it has many treatments. Chronic hepatitis B is treated using various antiviral medicines, which will slow the progression of the disease and prevent further damage to the liver. There is also a vaccine that people can receive in a series. Most of the time is leads to lifetime immunity by making antibodies. Hepatitis C is treated with antiviral medication, which will try to clear the virus out of the patient's systems in 8 to 12 weeks. There is no vaccine for this, so the best way to protect yourself is by preventing contact with other people's blood and body fluids.