Safe Injection Sites for the Boston Globe

There is a real emergency epidemic happening right now. Thousands of people are dying. There are solutions but lawmakers are ignoring the them. That’s because those suffering are the other. There is an opioid crisis with people overdosing due to tainted drug supplies.

I was contacted this summer by the Boston Globe. Their writer wanted to see how Vancouver was coping with Overdose Prevention Sites, a safe injection sites primarily started by volunteers in the downtown east-side.

April 12, 2019 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - Corwin James volunteers at one of the safe injection sites run by the Overdose Prevention Society. The Overdose Prevention Society set up pop-up safe injection sites during the height of the overdose crisis in Vancouver but now run permanent locations. Jimmy Jeong for The Boston Globe.

Vancouver like some of the other west coast cities is leading the way in terms of working with drug users. It’s far from perfect. But there is sympathy and some understanding in this city. One thing I was reminded was to check your biases at the door and always ask permission before photographing anyone here. Respect.

April 12, 2019 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - The Balmoral was an infamous Single Room Occupancy building in Vancouver's downtown eastside near the Insite safe injection site. Jimmy Jeong for The Boston Globe.

April 12, 2019 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - Darwin Fisher, a program manager at Insite, stands in front of the supervised injection site. The centre provides injection booths in a supervised environment by nurses and health care staff. Jimmy Jeong for The Boston Globe.

April 12, 2019 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - A woman sweeps up the alley near the Maple Overdose Prevention society. Members of the community in the DTES either volunteer or have jobs in the community with OPS operations.. Jimmy Jeong for The Boston Globe.

April 12, 2019 - Vancouver, BC, Canada -Dean Benton volunteering at the injection room reception desk at VANDU (Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users). Jimmy Jeong for The Boston Globe.

April 12, 2019 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - Injection tables set up in a safe injection clinic run by the Maple Overdose Prevention society. Jimmy Jeong for The Boston Globe.

April 12, 2019 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - Some supplies in a safe injection clinic run by the Maple Overdose Prevention society. Jimmy Jeong for The Boston Globe.

April 12, 2019 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - Shawn Giroux a volunteer at at a safe injection clinic run by the Maple Overdose Prevention society, paints over a print before starting an original painting. Jimmy Jeong for The Boston Globe.

April 12, 2019 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - Cindy, a peer support leader, at a safe injection clinic run by the Maple Overdose Prevention society. Jimmy Jeong for The Boston Globe.

April 12, 2019 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - Murals line the alleys in the downtown eastside depicting the stories of overdose crisis. This mural is near a safe injection site capped OPS. The Overdose Prevention Society set up pop-up safe injection sites during the height of the overdose crisis in Vancouver. Jimmy Jeong for The Boston Globe.