Question for CEO of Interior Health

[put-for-dough]

I was just pondering how Mr. Mazurkewich justifies injection sites for (safe) drug consumption for ILLEGAL substances funded by tax dollars when all the patients and staff at Interior Health must leave IH property to have a legal albeit CHOICE cigarette.
All because it is against IH policy yet these people pay for their own legal addiction. you the taxpayer are all paying for safe injection sites.

[WeatherWoman]

I am happy to pay. It reduces the long term cost on tax payers and gets more people the help they deserve.

I do have to point out that your comparison isn't very good.

If the drugs users show up at other facilities to do drugs then they would get removed by the authorities so I don't get how that would be in the same category as smokers.

Plus second hand cigarette smokes is damaging to other people that are using the facilities and many at higher risk of damage.

[voice of reason]

im not happy to pay.screw the junkies.they contribute nothing to society and take away the most.i have zero sympathy for them.

[WeatherWoman]

im not happy to pay.screw the junkies.they contribute nothing to society and take away the most.i have zero sympathy for them.

But doing this will cost us more as tax payers. Whether or not you agree with this services is fine but do you want to pay more in taxes just to "screw the junkies"?

[mjc0483]

im not happy to pay.screw the junkies.they contribute nothing to society and take away the most.i have zero sympathy for them.

Well said man! I have all the respect in the world for drug addicts that are still functioning in life and managing to hold down a job and support their family getting help and support to get clean. But I have zero sympathies or respect for these junkies roaming around Kelowna covered in scabs stealing, assaulting, vandalizing, all so they can get their fix. For those people, my sympathy lies with the victims.

[Not PC]

But doing this will cost us more as tax payers. Whether or not you agree with this services is fine but do you want to pay more in taxes just to "screw the junkies"?

How so? A junkies death isn't as expensive as providing services long term.

However, unless they make a conscious decision to clean up, they ALL die.

[KelownaCrackinCrew]

There is NO such thing as a FUNCTIONING drug addict or alcoholic, you may think there is...but there isn't, it all comes to an end. Also, "junkies" are human, show some respect. I have friends and family who talk down about homeless and drug addicts, some of the people you see outside of the gospel mission have accomplished more in their lives than you have(Owning property,businesses,money, contributions). No one wakes up and says "Hey, I am going to become an addict today". I know a few local business owners in town who run popular shops that have had battles with addiction and homelessness. I support safe injection sites, I support treatment centres, I support homeless shelters, I support everything that in one way or another contributes something positive to our community, the one thing I do not support is negative people like yourself. We all can end up in bad situations, you do not know what tomorrow has in store for you. Do you know why we have people hooked on fentanyl and heroin? because we have doctors who think it's okay to push pills, we have pharmacy's who don't give a sh*t. Search this song on YouTube: MACKLEMORE - DRUG DEALER (FEAT. ARIANA DEBOO) OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
You are welcome!

[mjc0483]

There is NO such thing as a FUNCTIONING drug addict or alcoholic, you may think there is...but there isn't, it all comes to an end. Also, "junkies" are human, show some respect. I have friends and family who talk down about homeless and drug addicts, some of the people you see outside of the gospel mission have accomplished more in their lives than you have(Owning property,businesses,money, contributions). No one wakes up and says "Hey, I am going to become an addict today". I know a few local business owners in town who run popular shops that have had battles with addiction and homelessness. I support safe injection sites, I support treatment centres, I support homeless shelters, I support everything that in one way or another contributes something positive to our community, the one thing I do not support is negative people like yourself. We all can end up in bad situations, you do not know what tomorrow has in store for you. Do you know why we have people hooked on fentanyl and heroin? because we have doctors who think it's okay to push pills, we have pharmacy's who don't give a sh*t. Search this song on YouTube: MACKLEMORE - DRUG DEALER (FEAT. ARIANA DEBOO) OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
You are welcome!

I didn't make any comments about homeless people, my comments were that I do not have any sympathy for drug addicts who are assaulting people, stealing from people, vandalizing, involved in gangs etc. Those addicts do not deserve sympathy and support, they deserve permanent jail time or worse. Especially those who are killing and raping women and then claiming they aren't at fault, it was "the drugs" they were on...

I do support however drug addicts who are good people who ended up in a bad situation but are busting their *bleep* everyday trying to get out of it and turn their life around. Are not robbing, assaulting or involved in gangs. But simply fell on bad times and are trying their hardest to get out of it. Those people I do support.

People who support junkies that are out there hurting people to get their next fix or assaulting people need to give their head a shake!

[Raven1]

But doing this will cost us more as tax payers. Whether or not you agree with this services is fine but do you want to pay more in taxes just to "screw the junkies"?

I'm not sure how you calculate that, financially speaking. Fact is....some junkies CANNOT be helped and resources should not be wasted on those that are on a commacawzie mission with the gift that was their life.

The risk of opiate use is WELL KNOWN among users, the risk of fentanyl tainted product is WELL KNOWN among users.

Does the fact that opiates are illegal unless a prescription is present mean nothing; it is highly unlikely that a prescription opiate will be tainted. Anyone in possession of opiates without an accompanying prescription should be charged and admitted to a supervised detox facility.....not given a free ride and provided a "supervised consumption site" ( that phrase still makes me laugh) and given the option of a get out of death free naxalone shot.

I am not ignorant to the fact that addiction occurs in prescription drug therapy, and there should be safety nets in place to assist those given opiates by prescription to beat addiction. That is where the medical establishment is falling well short of their mandate.

[LANDM]

Fact is....some junkies CANNOT be helped and resources should not be wasted on those that are on a commacawzie mission with the gift that was their life.
.

How do you tell which are the ones that can be helped?
Are they not on a "commacawzie" mission?

Maybe they just want to commit "hairy cari" quietly.....

Sorry...couldn't resist.
Dough-moe airee got oh, Mister roe-bought-owe

[lightspeed]

Fact is....some junkies CANNOT be helped and resources should not be wasted on those that are on a commacawzie mission with the gift that was their life.
.

How do you tell which are the ones that can be helped?
Are they not on a "commacawzie" mission?

Maybe they just want to commit "hairy cari" quietly.....

Sorry...couldn't resist.
Dough-moe airee got oh, Mister roe-bought-owe

Wax on. Wax off.

[Raven1]

How do you tell which are the ones that can be helped?
Are they not on a "commacawzie" mission?

Maybe they just want to commit "hairy cari" quietly.....

Sorry...couldn't resist.
Dough-moe airee got oh, Mister roe-bought-owe

Very simple....no prescription or recent (with in last 5 years) medical history of prescribed opiate therapy, automatic criminal charge and remand to a supervised detox facility.

The criminal charge should be possession of a controlled substance without a prescription or something similar currently being used to charge those for possession of marijuana. But the catch....an automatic and mandatory sentence to a rehab/detox facility. Preferably privately funded so that public funds can be utilized for those who's addiction began from prescribed opiate therapy for a medical issue.

Holding doctors accountable for every opiate prescription they issue would be an excellent measure as well. That would be up to the college of physicians and surgeons. Something to effect of the doctors ethical responsibility.

[lightspeed]

How do you tell which are the ones that can be helped?
Are they not on a "commacawzie" mission?

Maybe they just want to commit "hairy cari" quietly.....

Sorry...couldn't resist.
Dough-moe airee got oh, Mister roe-bought-owe

Very simple....no prescription or recent (with in last 5 years) medical history of prescribed opiate therapy, automatic criminal charge and remand to a supervised detox facility.

The criminal charge should be possession of a controlled substance without a prescription or something similar currently being used to charge those for possession of marijuana. But the catch....an automatic and mandatory sentence to a rehab/detox facility. Preferably privately funded so that public funds can be utilized for those who's addiction began from prescribed opiate therapy for a medical issue.

Holding doctors accountable for every opiate prescription they issue would be an excellent measure as well. That would be up to the college of physicians and surgeons. Something to effect of the doctors ethical responsibility.

Strike 'em off! Hang on - we have a shortage of doctors now...

[Raven1]

We've had a shortage of physicians for a very long time, you know the ones that actually practiced medicine instead of just writing a prescription.

What we have now are just men/women parading around that have a degree of education that is funded by pharmaceutical companies.

Most people would be surprised by the amount of immigrant doctors that haven't even passed the appropriate exams to be practicing in Canada, yet there they are seeing patients and writing prescriptions. (Knowledge from first hand experience)

A nurse practitioner is just as valid and in many cases more so than a lot of these "doctors".

[put-for-dough]

To the person who has decided that all the people who have fallen on hard times have done so much more with their life. I made the choice to quit hard drugs some 30 years ago at the end of a gun. It was me or it. I won. since then I have built 15 houses, went to college and contributed to society. I too had a child who with big easy oil sands money went down the drug road. He went to rehab and was unsuccessful. cost me a lot of $$. He has adult choices to make also. I am not heartless but I know some peoples bottom is deeper than others and I believe we have gone too far with empathy. CHOICES and research of what your DR. is giving you can go along way.