Eighth
Week
DISCUSSION
Seattle is among the most liberal towns in America
regarding assistance to its drug-abusing population. There are
needle exchange van facilities provided in a variety of
neighborhoods, where those who inject drugs can exchange a
dirty needle for a clean one. Vancouver, British Columbia has
gone one step further, opening up a facility for those who use
injectable drugs.
For this week's discussion, students will read four articles
about Vancouver's medical facility, Insite, and about the
controversy surrounding inhalation rooms.
About Insite
(Vancouver Coastal Health)
Insite - Supervised
Injection Site: North America's First Supervised Injection Site
(Vancouver Coastal Health)
Insite Operators Seek Crack Smoking Room (Canada.com,
October 2009)
Vancouver to Open Illegal Smoking Site for Crack Cocaine
(The Thunderbird, UBC Journalism News Service, October 2009)
LondonCommons.net features a
video about Insite,
April, 2008 (eight minutes)
DISCUSSION
After reading the articles, post answers
to the following discussion questions using the
Angel
courseware system (after logging in, click on the class link,
then the Discussions tab, and look for Discussion #8) by the end
of Friday, February 26:
After reading the articles, answer the following discussion
questions in a written summary:
-
What
are your reactions to injection clinic services like those
offered in Vancouver, BC?
- What
are your reactions to the possibility of including
inhalation rooms at Insite?
-
Do
you think similar programs will be offered in the United
States? Why or why not?
After posting your answers, post
at least four (4) responses or questions to other students
concerning their answers. These responses and/or questions
must be posted by Monday, March 1. Responses and
questions should, of course, be posed with a respectable tone.
Students are expected to answer all questions posed to them.
Responses posed to other students are worth four points total,
provided they are posted by the due date.
Educational Enrichment
Health Official Considers Supervised Rooms for Crack Addicts
(The Globe and Mail)
Baffling Brain Ailment Hits Heroin Smokers (Straight.com)
Stories of
Strength (video from Insite)
Potential Public and Community Health Impacts of Medically
Supervised Safer Smoking Facilities for Crack Cocaine Users
(Harm Reduction Journal)
Last Revised: 2-19-10
