Talk politics.

Vancouver has one of the worst heroin addiction problems in the world. Before the safe injection sites people shot up everywhere. People overdosed in the street frequently. Many died.

I don't recall the exact statistics and am too lazy at the moment to look them up but IIRC the safe injection site has drastically cut down on overdoses and deaths, as well as cut the HIV infection rates. And yes, help in quitting is readily available from the staff at the site. The safe injection site has had a very positive impact on the community and I'm very glad it will be remaining open.

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allhatnocattle.livejournal.com

Regardless, Hastings and Main is still an eyesore of homeless, alcoholics and other dopefiends. Not much has really changed except for Heroin junkies. Small step maybe.

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The goal of the safe injection site was not to clean up the area, it was to make things safer for the heroin addicts. In that, it was a success.

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Vancouver has one of the worst heroin addiction problems in the world.

If I lived in Canadiastan, I'd shoot up too. Anything to make myself forget I'm living in Canada Land and numb the mental and spiritual agony. :p

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If I lived in Canada be chasing all the hot chicks they have there, watching American TV via the internet and eating bacon like their was no tomorrow knowing that healthcare was affordable.

Go, Canada!

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Yeah, but have you drank their beer? XD

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That's why god invented imported beer. Thank you, Belgium and Germany!

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musicpsych.livejournal.com

That's a really interesting idea. I've never heard of safe shoot-up facilities. I don't think that would fly in the US, but it definitely seems progressive and like it has potential. It's similar to sex education, in a way - acknowledging that people are going to do it anyway, so why not do it relatively safely.

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Yep. There is no reason this cannot exist alongside rehabilitation and criminalization of major distribution.

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I fully support such a thing. I dont think it makes people shoot up mor, but makes it more visible.

However, I wish someome around could bring up a valid argument against for us to talk about.

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Such a place would kill any efforts to revitalize the area. Who wants to open a shop across the street from a place where junkies are going to constantly be?

How's that?

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The specific area isn't the real problem though.

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Noting makes you happy, does it?

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Lots of things make me happy. Kittens, horseradish sauce... horseradish sauce on kittens...

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We need to open up a safe place where people like you can eat kittens bathed in horseradish sauce under the care of trained medical staff instead of abandoned buildings and under bridges.

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Junkies are going to constantly be in the area regardless. The whole area is nothing but drug addicts, homeless and prostitutes. Google Image East Hastings to get an idea of what this area looks like. The safe injection site actually improves the area image.

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Times Square used to be that way. Now there's a Disney store there.

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It's the Canada tag. It's the kiss of death for any interest in a post :o/

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Canada sucks all the joy out of anything it comes in contact with like some maple-syrup infused Dementor.

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I would get mad but it's kinda true :o(

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htpcl.livejournal.com

LOLOL.

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mahnmut.livejournal.com

Yeah, like anyone bothers to look at some tags.

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Try something new instead of the same old routine that hasn't worked?

Heh, this is America. It'll never fly. We prefer to pretend the Emperor is wearing a set of nice new clothes instead of acknowledging that he's butt naked.

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this...unfortunately. =/

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That's pretty awesome. I would argue that while yes, drug use is a choice, many people are raised in a culture where it's hard not to make that choice, epsecially when they're still minors. I'm not Canadian though so I won't say much else about it.

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Oh, well, if there's "peer pressure" involved or "everybody is doing it" then we should total absolve people of responsibility for their choices. If we don't then people might have go again the group or make a *difficult* choice.

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No...I wasn't saying we should totally absolve people of their responsibility. I don't think that at all.

I do think, though, that we should encourage changes in our culture. Some people grow up in really, really healthy environments and find themselves psychologically trapped in various ways. I'm talking about kids who grow up with drug dealing parents, abusive situations, no resources for leaving, etc. not kids who have relatively good home lives and get caught up in the "bad crowd" at school because they're trying to fit in.

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It doesn't matter who your parents are or what your background is. You're responsible for your choices and no one else. There is no such thing as having no choice.

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