The people who run the supervised drug consumption site in Timmins didn’t know what to expect in its first month of operation. The numbers are in for July, and TADH addictions manager Patrick Nowak is pleased.
Of 669 visits to Safe Health Site Timmins, 232 were for supervised injection of self-supplied illicit drugs. Fentanyl accounts for almost two-thirds.
Nowak says a couple of people were admitted to hospital, asking for withdrawal management.
“It’s good to see that we have people that are interested in detox services for instance, actually come to the site to access that,” he comments.
Nowak adds that he’s had a lot of positive feedback, especially from women.
“For instance,” he notes, “I had one person nearly verbatim say that, you know, if I leave 25 bucks on the table, I know it’s going to be there when I come to, versus using in like an alleyway or in another public place.”
The facility on Cedar Street North is on track for up to 12-hundred visits in August.
There’s more at shst.ca and on this video .