The Executive Director of Prairie Harm Reduction has questions after the Government of Saskatchewan announced this morning (Thurs) that it would not fund any organization that provides pipes for drug use. Kayla DeMong says the government doesn’t help them with operational funding, but the Saskatchewan Health Authority does give them pipes. She questions if that will continue.

Prairie Harm Reduction has a smoking facility within its safe consumption site, which DeMong says is incredibly popular. It allows them to direct people away from needle usage, which has greater health concerns. Also, from research, statistics show that there is more success moving people into recovery from pipes than from needles. DeMong explains that on the surface, it looks like supplying needles and pipes enables addicts, but what PHR is doing is helping these people stay alive and pointing them in the direction of recovery. DeMong adds that it’s difficult for those dealing with addictions to move into recovery if they don’t have a place to live or food to eat, because they can go into recovery but there is no place for them after they are done and the cycle continues.

She adds that this decision is reflective of other challenges with the government and gives the example of teachers and health care workers who have said front line workers need to have input to be part of the solution. “They need to bring the experts to the table and they need to listen without value-based decisions being made. So much of what we are seeing is this concept of people who use drugs are bad and unless they stop using they are not worth an investment.”