Early indications are decrease in drug debris downtown with new site

One of the most desired outcomes of opening the ARCHES Supervised Consumption Site in Lethbridge is a reduction in the number of incidents of public drug use and disposal of drug debris in the downtown core.

While it is too early to say whether or not that outcome has been achieved, Terra Plato, CEO of the Lethbridge Public Library, stated the early signs at the Main Branch were positive.

“Like the rest of this city, the library has experienced the same impacts downtown in terms of drug debris and that sort of thing,” Plato said. “The general sense, the feeling around the library, is that, yes, we have seen a positive difference since the Supervised Consumption Site has opened. But I cannot really comment on the number of needles, and that sort of thing. We just don’t have that data yet.”

Sgt. Robin Klassen of the Lethbridge Police Service downtown policing unit also stated early indications were positive, with some apparent decrease in public drug debris since the site opened last Wednesday.

“We who work in the downtown unit want to encourage people to go to the Supervised Consumption Site,” she said. “We want them to go there so they can use their drugs more safely there and be protected from an overdose, but that’s also protecting the community from exposure to those needles that are left behind. No one wants to see that in the downtown, or in their community, so it gives drug users a safe place to go which protects them, but at the same time also protects the community.”

According to the city’s EMS services, they responded to 13 overdose incidents between March 1-7, down in frequency from the dramatic spike seen at the end of February. But City officials also stressed it was too early to tell what effect the opening of the Supervised Consumption Site may ultimately have on overdose reductions and EMS calls.

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