How About We Supplement Treatment with this Instead of Execution?
“Freed of the need to steal, beg and trade sex for drug money, some now have apartments and jobs. The clinic, run by a medical center, hopes to add 50 more clients soon.
“The ability to say, ‘I’m receiving treatment; I’m not a dirty user,’ does so much for their self-esteem,” said Jennifer Mackenzie, the clinical nurse leader. “It opens so many doors for them. They’re getting medical treatment, and they look at themselves differently.”
Research shows that the approach, like supervised drug consumption, saves lives, cuts criminal justice and health-care costs, limits the spread of diseases such as HIV and helps reduce used needles and other debris in the immediate neighborhood. A similar facility recently opened in Ottawa, and Canada has loosened requirements to encourage others.”
