HIV organizations and other public health leaders expressed our grave concern regarding the government’s announcement to shut down and prohibit supervised consumption services (SCS) sites and restrict harm reduction equipment distribution programs in Ontario.
While we acknowledge the complexities of addressing public safety concerns surrounding the toxic drug supply, the choice to dismantle these services will have devastating consequences: reduced safety, increased preventable deaths, increased transmission of bacterial and viral infections, and soaring healthcare costs.
Ultimately, these policy changes will further entrench and deepen health disparities, and Ontario will fall behind other jurisdictions in health outcomes.