Share this Story : Edmonton Journal Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

Opinion: An Alberta injection site was shut down; what followed proved activists wrong

New study about closure of Red Deer site shows there was no increase in overdose deaths

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

Over the past two years, there has been a heated debate about the closure of overdose prevention sites, not just in Alberta cities such as Red Deer, but also in Toronto and Ottawa. Such supervised injection sites — increasingly seen as hubs of crime or disorder and often dropped into neighbourhoods with high concentrations of social services — have become so unpopular that relentless campaigns opposing new sites have made headlines in Winnipeg and Montreal as well.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters.

Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account.

Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.

Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.

Support local journalism.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters.

Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account.

Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.

Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.

Support local journalism.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.

Enjoy additional articles per month.

Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments

Enjoy additional articles per month

Get email updates from your favourite authors

Sign In or Create an Account

On Tuesday, a striking new study about injection sites was published online in the scientific journal Addiction, which is likely to raise further questions about the evidence Health Canada and others have relied on to justify drug policy decisions that often override community safety concerns.

Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.

There was an error, please provide a valid email address.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of Headline News will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Interested in more newsletters? Browse here.

There are two unique elements to this study. First,........

© Edmonton Journal