THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND SUPERVISED INJECTION FACILITIES: A SHORT LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

The establishment of supervised injection facilities has been a journey fraught with challenges and difficulties, due to the cultural beliefs regarding harm reduction and drug users in British Columbia during the 1990s. It was evident that scientific evidence was not enough to convince authorities that supervised injection facilities would benefit drug users and the community. Cultural intervention was required to change the government’s opinion regarding this issue. For years, citizens and organizations fought for supervised injection facilities, and their efforts have contributed greatly to the establishment of these sites. This paper argues that the creation of supervised injection facilities can be attributed to the protests and actions executed by the community in British Columbia, as well as exploring the relationship between the local community and the establishment and preservation of supervised injection facilities.