COLUMN: Think Again – Supervised consumption site is a bad idea

During the 2023 provincial election campaign, NDP leader Wab Kinew promised to open a supervised consumption site in Manitoba. It was a bad promise then, and it remains a bad promise now.

A supervised consumption site is a place where drug addicts can consume illegal drugs without risk of arrest. Proponents argue that these sites save lives because addicts are less likely to die of a drug overdose if they consume drugs in a building where they can receive immediate treatment for any drug poisoning.

However, this argument ignores the real-life impact that supervised consumption sites have on neighbourhoods. There’s a reason why no one wants these sites anywhere near their home or close to schools or daycare facilities. Concentrating illegal drug use in one location is a surefire way to make the surrounding area a much less desirable place to live.

That’s why there was so much opposition to the provincial government’s initial plan to set up a supervised consumption site at 200 Disraeli Freeway. Not only was this location close to a school, but the presence nearby of a daycare made it even more unsuitable. What made things even worse was the ham-fisted way in which the government tried to control the public hearing process. Fortunately, the government eventually backed down and agreed not to use this location.

People don’t appreciate being gaslit by politicians who think that they know what is good for them. No one wants a supervised consumption site near their homes or businesses because they know that these facilities harm the neighbourhoods that surround them.

In addition, preventing someone from dying from a drug overdose is merely a temporary fix. If we don’t deal with the underlying addiction, that same drug user will likely overdose again in the near future. Instead of being satisfied with resuscitating someone repeatedly after yet another overdose, we must help addicts break free from their addictions.

That’s what is happening right now in Alberta. Instead of opening new supervised consumption sites, the Alberta government recently passed legislation that makes it possible to force drug addicts into treatment programs. Bill 53, also known as the Compassionate Intervention Act, sets out guidelines for when someone can be committed to a drug treatment program.

Critics argue that Bill 53 tramples on the charter rights of drug addicts. However, the reality is that drug addictions do not impact just the addicts themselves, they affect an entire community. In addition, someone in the throes of a drug addiction is no longer able to make rational decisions. That is why it is appropriate, under certain circumstances, to force addicts into treatment.

Ironically, the Manitoba NDP is already halfway there. Earlier this month, the government passed a law that allows provincial officials to detain highly intoxicated people for up to 72 hours. The next logical step is to follow Alberta’s example and set up extended mandatory treatment programs for drug addicts. This would make far more sense than opening a supervised consumption site in Winnipeg.

It’s time to stop gaslighting the people of Manitoba when they express concern about the negative impact that supervised consumption sites will have on our province. If we are serious about dealing with the overdose crisis in this province, we need to follow Alberta’s example and focus on treatment and recovery for all addicts.

I’m not interested in enabling illegal drug use, nor am I satisfied with merely keeping drug users alive long enough to get their next fix. There are good reasons why no one wants a supervised consumption site in their neighbourhood.

Let’s focus on promoting treatment rather than on enabling addictions.

Michael Zwaagstra is a teacher and deputy mayor of Steinbach. He can be reached at mzwaagstra@shaw.ca.