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CBC
a day ago
- Health
- CBC
Kingston prison's supervised drug site has had just 1 visitor
More than a year-and-a-half after it opened, a site at a Kingston, Ont., prison where inmates can consume smuggled drugs under medical supervision has only had one user. The overdose prevention service (OPS) at the Collins Bay Institution was set up as a place where prisoners could inject, snort or swallow substances, all with a nurse on standby. It opened on Nov. 28, 2023, becoming the first of its kind in Ontario and only the third in Canada. (Two more OPS sites have opened since). Five people who applied have been approved to use the site so far, but just one has actually done so, and that inmate has only used it a handful of times, beginning in April, CBC has learned. "There's always going to be a bit of a level of distrust, especially with a novel program such as this and a fundamental change to how we are supporting somebody living with addictions," said Matthew Secord, manager of health and rehabilitation at Collins Bay. Secord described the first visit as "a surreal moment," adding it takes "quite a bit of bravery and courage" to try something new — especially inside a prison. As of March 31, 2025, the cost of running the site — which includes salaries plus operational and maintenance costs — has come to $517,000, according to a spokesperson with Correctional Service Canada (CSC). Inmate says visits attract unwanted attention A man who spent more than a year incarcerated at Collins Bay's minimum security section said he's not surprised the site has seen so little use because it means exposing yourself, and potentially your supplier. CBC has agreed not to identify the inmate, who served his time before the consumption site opened, because he believes speaking out could cause problems with his employment. "If you're a drug dealer in prison, you're not going to sell drugs to a guy who's going to go to the guards because ... they're gonna know who you are, and they're gonna pay attention to you," the man explained. That can result in cell searches or being labelled a gang member, he said, describing some correctional officers as "pure haters" who want to punish inmates beyond their sentences. The goal for nearly everyone behind bars is to get out, the former prisoner said, so a prisoner would be foolish to do anything that could risk delaying their chance at parole — especially open drug use. Fewer needles found in cells An "amnesty zone" exists around the consumption site, meaning approved inmates are able to head to the prison's health-care wing and if drugs are found on them, they can't be charged, explained Secord, the head of health services. Once a prisoner arrives, they're provided with clean supplies and given 10 minutes to consume their substance. They're then required to stay for 30 minutes under observation in case of any negative effects. The sites are an initiative supported by both harm reduction advocates and the union representing correctional officers, which sees it as a way to limit the number of needles inside cells and ensure medical staff, not its members, are the ones responding to overdoses. CSC said visits to a consumption site, like all other medical information, are confidential and will only be shared in limited circumstances such as a life-threatening situation. "Participants ... will not be disciplined for using the service, which includes questions about potential impacts on an offender's conditional release, but they may face disciplinary measures if caught with illicit drugs outside of it," wrote spokesperson Mike Shrider in an email. Operating hours an issue Even with that assurance, the worry persists among prisoners, according to Lynne Leonard, who recently retired as a professor with the University of Ottawa's School of Epidemiology and Public Health. Between 2019 and March 2025, she visited four of the five OPS sites across the country — including Collins Bay — spending hours at each speaking confidentially with everyone from the warden to inmates, before writing up recommendations as part of an independent evaluation. Leonard said one of the most stubborn obstacles she encountered was the fear among inmates that visiting an OPS would be reported to the parole board. While that was a requirement in the past, it isn't any longer, the evaluator said, adding she called on CSC to make that distinction clear to inmates in both her 2020 and 2025 reports. Another common complaint is the operating hours for the sites. While they're open during the day, Leonard said prisoners don't want to be under the influence of narcotics during programming, work or meetings with parole officers. Instead, they'd prefer to take drugs during their free time after supper. The evaluator said she's been told by CSC staff that the hours come down to finances and staffing, explaining it can be hard enough to find nurses to work in a prison, let alone someone willing to work until 10 p.m. A move to crystal meth There's also been a change in the inmates' drug of choice. While fentanyl was popular when OPS sites were first opening up, that's no longer the case. "It's now shifted to crystal meth ... resulting in the fact that you can get fentanyl for a candy bar now because nobody wants it, because it's associated with overdoses," Leonard said. Meth is typically smoked, a drug-consumption method that isn't allowed at OPS locations. The drug can also come with "frightening psychotic episodes," she explained. Still, the most obvious and enduring barrier is the pressure that comes from walking through a prison to visit one of the sites. Leonard said beyond concerns about parole or a crackdown by correctional officers, inmates who use an OPS face a more immediate risk — being "muscled" by others eager for their drugs and willing to use violence to get them. "It's not confidential by any means, and that's part of the issue," she said of visiting the site. "Confidentiality is a huge, huge issue." Trying to attract inmates Twenty-three overdoses or suspected overdoses were reported at Collins Bay between 2022 and 2023, according to CSC. Since the OPS opened, that number had dropped to zero, Secord said, explaining the trend toward crystal meth has likely been a major factor. Like Leonard, he identified operating hours, the attention a visit to the site draws, and the change in the drug of choice as barriers to its use. If there's a recommendation to allow smoking substances including meth at the OPS, that option could be discussed in the future, he added. Meanwhile, Secord said staff at Collins Bay will continue to work with its inmate committee and health liaisons to highlight what the site has to offer. Leonard said everyone wants the OPS model to work, but some problems will be easier to solve than others. During her evaluations, she's heard suggestions that the sites should move out of the health services section of prisons, or that they should be placed on a range of cells specifically for inmates who are using substances. The former inmate said the focus should be on rehab, not drug use, and argued CSC will always have a hard time convincing prisoners that using an OPS won't hurt their hopes of release. "I think inmates have to be assured that it's genuine for their own health, their own life," he explained. "You have to entice them and to make them feel that this is not gonna harm me."
The Independent
12-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
‘Courageous' drug policy campaigner Peter Krykant found dead aged 48
Peter Krykant, the campaigner who risked arrest to blaze a trail for safer drug consumption facilities in Scotland, has died at the age of 48. The activist became a public figure in 2020 after creating and operating the UK's first unofficial overdose prevention service in Glasgow using a repurposed van, in a bid to alleviate the drug deaths crisis still claiming lives in Scotland and the wider UK. Operating for nine months, the service – which offered drug users in the city a sanitary and supervised alternative to consuming drugs alone in the street or at home – oversaw nearly 900 injections, successfully intervening in all nine overdoses that occurred, a study found. These lifesaving facilities have long been rejected by Westminster, despite being used in close to 20 countries worldwide, and Krykant was arrested in 2020 for his efforts to prevent overdoses and reduce the spread of bloodborne viruses – with the charges later dropped. In the wake of Krykant's activism, however, Scotland's lord advocate intervened in 2023 to say that such prosecutions 'would not be in the public interest'. As a result, the UK government relented that it would not block such services in Scotland, as pressure mounted on Holyrood to take more radical steps to save lives. The UK's only safer drug consumption facility, The Thistle, opened in the East End of Glasgow earlier this year. In its first seven weeks of opening, The Thistle was used more than 1,000 times by 143 individuals, with a number of medical emergencies managed over that period. But while many campaigners credit Krykant with paving the way for this lifesaving service and helping to pile pressure on Holyrood to prioritise tackling the crisis, the campaigner would later say that it had taken a toll on his own wellbeing. 'It took somebody ruining their life for them [politicians] to say they could do something about it [the drugs crisis], and that person was me,' Krykant told author Dr Kojo Koram in January, adding: 'I'm not in a good place, now. And that all stems from when I took the decision to go out and run that van.' After running his facility for nine months in Glasgow without funding or official permission, Krykant donated the vehicle, which was later upgraded to a repurposed ambulance, to the Transform Drug Policy Foundation, which took it around the UK. Krykant would later stand in the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections as an independent candidate, and went on to work for the drug treatment charity Cranstoun, continuing to be a prominent voice globally in drug policy discussions. Mr Krykant, who started taking drugs aged 11 and began to inject heroin at the age of 17, while also experiencing homelessness, stopped using drugs for 11 years. He would later say that the pressure of politics and his activism had caused him to relapse into using drugs. He had been visiting London in the days before his death but had returned to his flat in Larbert, when friends became concerned about his wellbeing, the Daily Record reported. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'Around 5.15pm on Monday, 9 June 2025, police attended an address in Graham Avenue, Larbert following a report of a concern for person. 'The body of a 48-year-old man was found within. His next of kin has been informed. A post mortem examination will be carried out in due course. The death is being treated as unexplained.' Scotland's first minister John Swinney was among those to pay tribute to Krykant, saying: 'His powerful voice on drugs policy reform, in particular his tireless work to deliver safe consumption rooms, leaves an important legacy which will be remembered.' Aamer Anwar, the lawyer who represented Krykant when he was arrested in 2020, described him as 'a one-man army, with a mission to save lives', adding: 'It was humbling to see him single-handedly fight to deliver the first safe consumption room for drugs in the UK. 'Since childhood he was driven by demons, but Peter was also a beautiful, kind and courageous man. He leaves behind his two boys whom he loved dearly and family and friends who will be utterly devastated. 'I hope with time they can find some comfort in that Peter will be at peace and his name will one day be remembered as a drugs campaigner decades ahead of his time.' Journalist Dani Garavelli said: 'Peter Krykant kept all the lives being lost to drugs in the public eye [and] forced the Scottish government into action'. Noting that, without his efforts, The Thistle would not exist, the columnist added: 'It was a privilege to know him. I hope he's at peace.' Ronnie Cowan, former SNP MP for Inverclyde, said: 'Peter Krykant dared to go where no politicians would. He led by example with great bravery and a tenacious enthusiasm. While we talked and people died, Peter acted. I was proud to support his DCR and only wish we could have done more.'
Sky News
12-06-2025
- Sky News
Peter Krykant: 'Beautiful, kind and courageous' drug policy campaigner found dead
A leading drug policy reform campaigner who championed safe consumption rooms has died at the age of 48. Peter Krykant became a public figure in 2020 after setting up an unofficial facility in a minivan in response to Scotland's growing number of drug-related deaths. The vehicle, which was later upgraded to a former ambulance, was taken around Glasgow in a bid to provide a clean space and support for addicts. Mr Krykant, who was a recovering heroin addict and often spoke of his own battles with drugs, hoped the service would prevent overdoses and blood-borne viruses (BBV) among users. The activist, who ran as an independent candidate in the 2021 Holyrood election, always called for dignity for those seeking help. The Thistle - the UK's first safer drug consumption facility (SDCF) - opened in Glasgow in January. Police Scotland said Mr Krykant's body was found by officers on Monday at a property in Graham Avenue, Larbert, following a report of concern for a person. A force spokesperson added: "His next of kin has been informed. A post-mortem examination will be carried out in due course. The death is being treated as unexplained." First Minister John Swinney said he was "shocked and saddened" to learn of Mr Krykant's death. He added: "His powerful voice on drugs policy reform, in particular his tireless work to deliver safe consumption rooms, leaves an important legacy which will be remembered." 2:40 High-profile lawyer Aamer Anwar described Mr Krykant as "a one-man army, with a mission to save lives". Mr Anwar represented Mr Krykant when he was arrested in 2020 in connection with the mobile overdose prevention centre. Charges were later dropped. Mr Anwar said: "It was humbling to see him single-handedly fight to deliver the first safe consumption room for drugs in the UK. "Since childhood he was driven by demons, but Peter was also a beautiful, kind and courageous man. "He leaves behind his two boys whom he loved dearly and family and friends who will be utterly devastated. "I hope with time they can find some comfort in that Peter will be at peace and his name will one day be remembered as a drugs campaigner decades ahead of his time." Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said his party was "deeply saddened" by the news. He added: "Peter was a tireless campaigner for a fairer, more compassionate approach to handling drug misuse and addiction, and his campaigning has left such an important legacy in the UK's first safe consumption room in Glasgow. "His advocacy for drug reform, and of course, his yellow van have no doubt saved countless lives in Scotland."
Sky News
12-06-2025
- Sky News
Peter Krykant: Tributes after death of 'beautiful, kind and courageous' drug policy campaigner
A leading drug policy reform campaigner who championed safe consumption rooms has died at the age of 48. Peter Krykant became a public figure in 2020 after setting up an unofficial facility in a minivan in response to Scotland's growing number of drug-related deaths. The vehicle, which was later upgraded to a former ambulance, was taken around Glasgow in a bid to provide a clean space and support for addicts. Mr Krykant, who was a recovering heroin addict and often spoke of his own battles with drugs, hoped the service would prevent overdoses and blood-borne viruses (BBV) among users. The activist, who ran as an independent candidate in the 2021 Holyrood election, always called for dignity for those seeking help. The Thistle - the UK's first safer drug consumption facility (SDCF) - opened in Glasgow in January. Police Scotland said Mr Krykant's body was found by officers on Monday at a property in Graham Avenue, Larbert, following a report of concern for a person. A force spokesperson added: "His next of kin has been informed. A post-mortem examination will be carried out in due course. The death is being treated as unexplained." First Minister John Swinney said he was "shocked and saddened" to learn of Mr Krykant's death. He added: "His powerful voice on drugs policy reform, in particular his tireless work to deliver safe consumption rooms, leaves an important legacy which will be remembered." 2:40 High-profile lawyer Aamer Anwar described Mr Krykant as "a one-man army, with a mission to save lives". Mr Anwar represented Mr Krykant when he was arrested in 2020 in connection with the mobile overdose prevention centre. Charges were later dropped. Mr Anwar said: "It was humbling to see him single-handedly fight to deliver the first safe consumption room for drugs in the UK. "Since childhood he was driven by demons, but Peter was also a beautiful, kind and courageous man. "He leaves behind his two boys whom he loved dearly and family and friends who will be utterly devastated. "I hope with time they can find some comfort in that Peter will be at peace and his name will one day be remembered as a drugs campaigner decades ahead of his time." Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said his party was "deeply saddened" by the news. He added: "Peter was a tireless campaigner for a fairer, more compassionate approach to handling drug misuse and addiction, and his campaigning has left such an important legacy in the UK's first safe consumption room in Glasgow. "His advocacy for drug reform, and of course, his yellow van have no doubt saved countless lives in Scotland."
CBC
05-06-2025
- Health
- CBC
A new harm reduction group is creating a safe space to do drugs in St. John's
In response to an increasing number of overdose deaths in Newfoundland and Labrador, a new group of harm reduction advocates are opening what they say is St. John's first overdose prevention site. Overdose Awareness and Response St. John's (OARS) provides safe use supplies and naloxone, and its founder says both volunteers and nurses trained in overdose intervention are on hand. "Whether that's folks that are street-entrenched or just folks downtown partying, we provide a space where people can do drugs in safety," said Luca Schaefer. Schaefer describes the operation as similar to a supervised consumption site, which are controversial in Canada. The Health Canada website describes such sites as "a safe, clean space for people to bring their own drugs to use, in the presence of trained staff. This prevents accidental overdoses and reduces the spread of infectious diseases, such as HIV." Individuals or organizations who want to open a supervised consumption site can ask the federal government for an exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, but OARS has not yet made an application. In contrast, overdose prevention sites — which Health Canada also calls urgent public-health needs sites — "are established on a temporary basis to respond to urgent needs in a specific region or community." Ottawa can authorize the provincial health minister to set up one of these sites, but in an emailed statement to CBC News, spokesperson Khadija Rehma said OARS has not yet contacted the Health Department. "We appreciate the valuable work of community organizations and volunteers to ensure safe substance use supports and services," the statement said. Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services spokesperson Mikaela Etchegary said the provincial health authority supports harm reduction efforts, but hasn't established an official partnership with OARS. Rigel Penman, a volunteer with OARS, told CBC News the group hasn't yet applied for legal exemption because it's still in talks with various levels of government. Penman said OARS is trying to set up as "quickly as possible," especially with summer around the corner, and says the group decided not to wait for what could be a lengthy application process. WATCH | Harm reduction advocates create pop-up overdose prevention site in St. John's: Harm reduction advocates create a safe space to use drugs in downtown St. John's 5 hours ago Duration 2:44 The site won't supply or provide substances, Schaefer said. "If using in the space is what they need at the moment, then we're able to provide that support. And if not, they're free to take what they need," she said. For now, the site will be a pop-up tent in downtown St. John's — a setup that's "able to move and be wherever is needed or necessary," said Schaefer. OARS has run the site twice so far, on the evenings of May 23 and May 30. Schaefer says public response has been mixed, with some people approaching to get supplies, and others expressing curiosity or negativity. "This group is addressing and providing support to a marginalized and at-risk population," she said. "We should be looking to our most vulnerable people and asking ourselves what we're able to do to step up." Overdose prevention and supervised consumption sites were a talking point during the latest federal election, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre calling them "drug dens" and a "bizarre social experiment" and vowing to restrict them. According to Health Canada, supervised consumption sites operate in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. The first site opened in Vancouver in 2003, and the model spread throughout the country in the ensuing decades. In 2016, as overdose deaths skyrocketed, several unsanctioned overdose prevention tents sprung up in the city's Downtown Eastside — ground zero for Canada's opioid crisis. Activists at the time told CBC the pop-up sites were an effort to save lives without waiting for sluggish bureaucratic approval. Last year, however, Ontario implemented a new law banning drug consumption sites near schools and child-care centres. That law forced the closure of nine sites in Ontario, despite a court injunction allowing them to remain open while a judge to examines the law's constitutionality. Schaefer says she's ready to respond to concerns from the community. Rising overdose numbers In April, the RCMP warned of rising drug toxicity deaths in the province, and said cocaine is now the leading drug responsible for overdose people died from consuming drugs in Newfoundland and Labrador last year. Last month, police seized a record amount of fentanyl from a St. John's trailer — enough to kill nearly half the province. Schaefer says OARS is responding to those statistics. "There's a lot of reasons why people use drugs," she said. "They shouldn't have to worry about whether or not the drugs that they're gonna take are going to kill them." OARS outreach advocate Loo Vatcher says Newfoundland and Labrador is in desperate need of better overdose prevention. "This world is hard enough for all of us, and whether we like it or not, people are going to use substances," they said. "It's really important that we meet people where they're at." OARS will run a site once a week for now, but Vatcher says its long-term goal is to set up an indoor location to host safe use and harm reduction services. For that to happen, OARS will be fundraising more money, applying for government grants and continuing its advocacy. Vatcher said volunteers want to "put a bit of pressure on the government to do what's right, to help us create the safe space for people who deserve it."
