Are tensions boiling over in the penultimate modern-day welfare state, or make that province, of British Columbia? In the second attack on a provincial government social worker within several days, 62-year-old John David Bland, a vocational therapist for mental patients, was fatally stabbed in his work parking lot in the Vancouver suburb of Richmond, after going off duty last week. Roy Dalen, 49, of Richmond (UPDATE: a former client of Bland's) has been charged with murder, according to this report. Days before, a BC provincial social worker was injured in a stabbing at a rec center.
Union officials expressed growing concern about violence against their members, while the goverment sanctimoniously warned against a rush to judgement.
Cindy Stewart, president of (the Health Sciences Association of BC, or HSABC), is calling for a review of workplace safety for health-care workers. "This can't be seen as isolated," Stewart said. "This needs a broader review." An estimated 5-10% of claims filed by health care workers and accepted by the Workers Compensation Board are related to workplace violence, Stewart says.....Provincial government officials have asked the public not to draw any conclusions as a result of the incidents.
A former mental health patient stabs his former vocational therapist. My "conclusion" is if the clients repeatedly do violence to the state's representatives, as the union official states above, it may be time to re-evaluate the extent of the state's role.
As it happens, Bland was reportedly two shifts away from retirement.
Meanwhile, elderly victims in Vancouver's notorious cesspool known as the Downtown Eastside, are under attack from drug addicts. The Vancouver Sun reports six members of an organized gang of young drug addicts have been arrested in a sting operation after a rash of attacks and robberies to facilitate drug purchases. The neighborhood - I might add - is known for its government-approved and operated "supervised injection site" where heroin is legally dispensed and injected by addicts. (See UPDATE/CORRECTION, below).
From The Sun:
Vancouver police say there have been six recent incidents in which seniors were violently attacked by a group of men and women, but there may be more unknown victims because some are afraid to report the assaults. In an amateur video of one attack, a number of people in their twenties and early thirties surround an elderly man and beat him almost to unconsciousness. The bleeding senior appears too weak and disoriented to resist as his attackers rifle through his pockets, stealing his money and possessions.VPD Head of Operations Inspector John McKay says police were outraged by what they saw on the tape. "When you see the video it's really disturbing, because you can clearly see that the victims are helpless anyway," he says. "And it's really nasty. It's horrendous what they have done here." McKay says the alleged attackers are drug-addicted residents of the Downtown Eastside. "They're very violent. They usually work in a pack, like a wolf pack," McKay says....."The goal is to get the money so they can buy more drugs."
By the way, the government has been considering a "safe inhalation" site in the area, for crack addicts.
UPDATE/CORRECTION: Commenter Fay corrects me: the current Vancouver "safe-injection" site allows heroin users a place to inject their own heroin, but does not supply them with heroin. They have to bring their own, and do. On further investigation, I was reminded that it is the now-pending, government-sponsored North American Opiate Medication Initiative (NAOMI) site that will be legally supplying heroin to some addicts in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, as part of a 21-month study. The doors are set to open in a few weeks, and there remains considerable controversy. More here from the CBC, and here (second item down). I will also post the full text of this CBC link in the comments section, because the links, in Canadian papers especially, for some reason, tend to expire fairly quickly. The second link shows that a key academic working with the planned NAOMI heroin-dispensing center is also participating in an evaluation of the existing "supervised injection" site.
Posted by Matt Rosenberg at January 25, 2005 12:39 PM
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Um, I don't believe that the safe injection site "where heroin is legally dispensed and injected by addicts" actually dispenses heroin.
While I completely disagree with the concept of "safe" injection sites, I think you should at least be accurate in your reporting of what they are.
http://www.vch.ca/sis/
Posted by: Fay at January 25, 2005 10:47 PMFay, thank you for the correction, which I have noted in an update at the bottom of the post. I also posted a link there with this story (text in full, here, below) which clarifies that it is the North American Opimate Medication Inittiative Site (not the current "safe injection" site, as I wrote earlier) that will dispense heroin to some addicts in Vancouver. This is pending final approval, in a few weeks.
Here is the CBC story:
Study will give free heroin to some B.C. addicts
Last Updated Wed, 19 Jan 2005 09:50:36 EST
CBC News
VANCOUVER - Up to 470 Vancouver heroin addicts will take part in a North American first – a study that will give free heroin to junkies.
As part of the North American Opiate Medication Initiative – or NAOMI project – carefully chosen addicts will be given free heroin or an unrestricted amount of methadone for 12 months. After that period, the doses will taper off.
(CP file photo)
The goal is to see if prescribed heroin is better than methadone for addicts who have failed standard therapies, and to find out if giving the drug for free will reduce homelessness and crimes linked to supporting drug use.
It already has the approval of the federal government, Vancouver police and city politicians.
The project will look much like one held in Switzerland in the 1990s. During that program, fewer then 10 per cent of addicts quit taking heroin, but the crime rate among addicts dropped and the job rate went up. Advocates for the drug-addicted in Vancouver say a similar result will likely occur in the B.C. trial.
Hooked on heroin since she was 14 years old, 21-year-old Rainbaux says she's desperate to take part in the study and kick the habit.
"I've tried detoxes, treatment centres, recovery houses, methadone. I've tried moving away from the area, tried moving across Canada," said Rainbaux. "I've tried everything. I can't do it."
Anne Livingstone, with the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, says the project is the way to go. "It's time Canadians demanded this," she said.
However, the project does have its critics.
Dr. Meldon Kahan and Dr. Kay Shen, from Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, say they support harm reduction, but worry "the NAOMI trial has serious design flaws and major safety and ethical problems."
The spokesperson behind the NAOMI project wouldn't give an interview, saying he would decide when and to whom he would grant an interview about the trial project.
Health Canada is now in Vancouver to look at the proposed venue. If it passes inspection, the final go-ahead is expected within weeks.
Posted by: Matt R. at January 26, 2005 11:25 AMI've had people debate me on the "merits" of safe injection sites. The problem with their arguments is 1, they usually want full legality anyway so it's dishonest to pretend they want "safe" sites. 2, as can be seen by these disturbing incidents, it is shortsighted to assume that the immediate influence of the drug is all that makes people dangerous.
In the safe site advocate's rosy world, these people are simply going to do it anyway, and letting them do it "safely" just reduces the amount of drug-related crime. However, I dare them to say that these Vancouver incidents are not drug related!
Posted by: Mark at January 26, 2005 02:25 PMMatt:
Thanks for the update. I wasn't aware of the "NAOMI" Great, more of my tax dollars going into a junkie's arm.
BTW, we both know another a Matt from Seattle.
Posted by: Fay at January 26, 2005 05:44 PMI understand why folks don't want to pay for heroin users' heroin. But I don't want to pay for the extraordinarily massive costs of prohibition heroin. Let adults have legal access to heroin at their own expense instead, that's fine with me. But as long as the government is doing all that it's doing to drive heroin addicts to their deaths, I say it's fair to have the government also pay to help save some of them. In the end it will reduce the fiscal costs of the current anti-drug program too.
Our article on the NAOMI program, and my editorial, will appear online at http://stopthedrugwar.org late tonight.
Posted by: David Borden at February 10, 2005 09:20 PMOn the good side. Canada is at least willing to try this. On the bad side This project is doomed to fail because it is a "science experiement type of study" that will not lead to any meaningful change. Drugs like Heroin and Cocaine will never be (and should never be made legal) They are too Dangerous. I should know I have injected them into my body and paid the "price" many times over. Hopefully I am wrong and this will work out and some good will come of it. Somehow I conquered my addiction. (not by recommended methods) Hopefully this trial study will help at least some of the people. (We shall see). Harm reduction (safe injection sites/NAOMI project)would never happen in The U.S.A. I'm glad that our society is different then their's. Although I can understand that the Canadian public is mostly Pissed that the government is depensing free Heroin. Drug addicts are not nice people. Under the total control of a substance Desperate people will do evil things to fuel the addiction. Addiction is both a Medical issue and a Criminal issue. The "Recovery Industry" is not for everyone. "12 step" programs work for many people, but are not for everyone.
Unfortunately some people will never overcome their addictions and will die regardless of any type of help from any source. That is not the "Politically correct view point" That is just the way things are. If your an addict, find a way to "recover" that works for you (trial and error)