ARCHES’ opening of a safe consumption site in downtown Lethbridge has been controversial since the very start.
With so many people on both sides of the argument, it is hard to really see which way the majority of residents are collectively feeling.
However, the safe consumption site is something all Lethbridge residents should support, whether it be for one reason or another – there are so many upsides to having it in our community.
ARCHES is not enabling people to do hard drugs. This is a common misconception I often see. What most people fail to understand, is that the people using ARCHES’ services would be doing drugs even if the safe consumption site didn’t exist.
What ARCHES is doing is minimizing the risk to both the users of the drugs, as well as the general public, by providing a secure consistent location for drug users to go.
Instead of having the problem spread to places like the public library, Galt Gardens, or in any back alley, these people are doing it indoors, off public property and their needles are disposed of in a safe manner.
It isn’t up to them to put needles in a sharps box any more, or for someone to pick it up and put themselves in harm’s way trying to dispose of the needles.
I do sympathize with business owners in the area. It is unfortunate for them that the safe consumption site is located so close to their workplace and likely drives away many customers.
However, these business owners are Lethbridge residents too and localizing the problem is the first step to creating a drug-free city. It will be better in the long run for everyone that this site is operating.
Another reason that people should be supporting harm reduction services like ARCHES is because of the money these sites save.
It is easy to complain about the money that our government and city put towards the site, but they don’t understand the return on investment the site will bring.
According to Jill Manning of ARCHES, every dollar spent on harm reduction services in Canada saves $7 from our healthcare system. Because there are not as many police and ambulance dispatches for people overdosing, the safe consumption site is lessening the strain on emergency services.
Not only is it saving money on emergency services, the reduction in calls means that police and EMS wait times will be reduced and these people can get to important calls, ones that may involve you and I, much sooner.
When we go to the emergency room, wait times are now shorter. It isn’t filled with people on drugs anymore, because they are being taken care of at a different location. That means less time sitting around before being tended to for our own health problems.
Finally, if some of the other reasons aren’t enough for you, reach into your heart and find a little compassion. ARCHES is helping people.
No one wants to be addicted to drugs – ask any current or former addict.
It is a hell of a life, and though the crisis is still raging in Lethbridge right now and likely will for some time, ARCHES is the closest thing we’ve got to a step in the right direction.
The safe consumption site has saved lives from overdoses, has gently pushed people using drugs to getting the help they need, and gives these people a place where they can feel safe and secure, which for most, is the only place in the city.
If none of these are enough for you, I would suggest moving, but the safe consumption site will likely be a fixture in the cities you choose to live in. It is the future, and the first step in solving the opioid crisis.
