Health groups deliver clean needles to addicts as London, Ont. explores safe injection site

As the federal government prepares to make it easier for communities to open safe injection sites, a recovering addict in one of Canada's most prolific drug cities is saluting the move.

London is one of several Canadian cities examining safe injection sites as a way to reduce the spread of disease and to encourage users to seek treatment.

• London declares 'health emergency' over rise in HIV and hepatitis C

One former addict told CBC News a safe-injection site in London would have helped him recover from his opiate and crystal meth addiction. The 29-year old finally quit after a 13-day bender in a cheap, downtown London hotel.

That experience left him in a psychotic state. His body was covered in sores caused by nervous scratching and he weighed 100 lbs.

"I can vividly remember picking up dirty needles off the ground to use because I needed to get high," said Dan, who asked that his last name be withheld for fear of stigmatization.

A public health emergency

Health Minister Jane Philpot said Thursday there should be no unnecessary barriers for communities who want to open supervised injection sites.

She is calling intravenous drug use a public emergency and says Ottawa is working with municipalities to ensure it is done right.

With calls for safe injection sites growing in political circles, users are speaking up as well about street-level experiences.

"Having a safe place to use means clean needles and also interaction with staff," Dan said.

Toronto approved three injection sites earlier this summer, paving the way for other municipalities to do the same.

London is well into the process of studying safe injection sites. The research phase is now complete and public consultations are expected to start later this fall or early next year.

Having staff to talk to inside an injection site would help addicts get help, Dan explained.

"The staff inside might be the only normal person you get to talk to all day and that's a big deal when you're thinking about getting sober," he said.

His drug use resulted in Dan contracting Hepatitis C, a strain that is no longer in his system. But he says he was lucky he avoided any long-term health problems.

"Your inhibitions drop dramatically, especially when you've been up for four days and you're out of your mind on meth," Dan said. "You're having lots of unprotected sex and I've seen what happens."

London: A prolific problem

Standing in a back alley in London's downtown, Dan says it would take no time to buy drugs, especially crystal meth, a popular substance in the city right now.

London's reputation as a city with a drug problem was highlighted earlier this year when public health officials declared a public health crisis and released some staggering statistics.

• London hands out 2.5M needles to addicts every year

More than 2.5 million needles are being handed out each year in the city of about 400,000. That makes London second to only Vancouver when it comes to the numbers of public needle use.

London is also dealing with record high rates of infections caused by needle use, including 44 new reported cases of HIV-AIDS this year. Those figures stand in stark contrast to the rest of the province where HIV rates are dropping.

"There are people of all walks of life who inject drugs," says Dan, who stresses the public would be amazed by the diversity of users. "In recovery, I've met doctors and lawyers and we eat lunch together and talk about how some people can hide it better than others."

Needles on wheels

If a safe injection is approved in London, it could be many months before the doors open. In the meantime, public health organizations are trying other harm-reduction approaches, including a rare needle delivery service.

The Regional HIV-AIDS Connection has a minivan that travels around the city five days a week delivering clean needles and injection kits, as well as picking up dirty sharps.

"I don't think there's any place in the city I haven't been to," says Mike McGregor, driver and outreach worker with the organization. "I've got quick kits for people who need a few syringes and then there are boxes of 100 with different needle sizes."

McGregor says more women than men typically call for delivery, and the majority have secure housing. On average, he says he makes 10 deliveries a day.

"I used it when I was staying in apartments where lots of people were shooting up," says former drug user Dan.

"It was also great because I wouldn't have to take a box of dirty needles on the bus and have people feel scared of me."

The delivery service started five years ago and costs the Regional HIV-AIDS Connection $91,000 a year. It's unique in Ontario, with most cities operating a stationary van where people can exchange supplies.

McGregor says this way he gets to know people well and they feel comfortable talking to him about recovery.

"People can open up if they feel like it and tell me things without being judged or feeling any stigma."