Supervised Injection Facilities and International Law

2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 539-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Malkin ◽  
Richard Elliott ◽  
Rowan McRae
Keyword(s):  
Drug Users ◽  
Health It ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
Legal Obligations ◽  
Legal Implications ◽  
International Obligations ◽  
Supervised Injection ◽  
Supervised Injection Facilities ◽  
The Right

The ongoing public health crisis associated with injection drug use highlights the failure of prohibitionist policies. In contrast, harm reduction approaches aim to protect and promote the health of drug users. Supervised injection facilities (SIFs) are one important component of this approach. This article considers the international legal implications of establishing SIFs. It argues that implementing trials of SIFs is an appropriate measure that states should take pursuant to their international legal obligations to realize progressively the right of their nationals to the highest attainable standard of health. It argues that international drug control treaties do not prevent such measures, as is commonly claimed. The authors conclude that successful trials in Europe and Australia should be emulated elsewhere, in accordance with states' international obligations.

Highs and Lows: An Interrupted Time-Series Evaluation of the Impact of North America’s Only Supervised Injection Facility on Crime

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Myer ◽  
Linsey Belisle
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Drug Users ◽  
Interrupted Time Series ◽  
Interrupted Time Series Analysis ◽  
Supervised Injection Facility ◽  
Series Evaluation ◽  
Supervised Injection ◽  
Supervised Injection Facilities ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Combat Problems

North America is currently experiencing an opioid crisis. One proposed solution to combat problems associated with injection drug use is the use of supervised injection facilities. These facilities provide drug users a space to inject pre-obtained drugs without any legal repercussions. Research on these facilities has focused on public health outcomes, and generally found positive results. Far fewer studies have investigated the impact supervised injection facilities have on crime. The current study provides an interrupted time-series analysis on the impact of North America’s only supervised injection facility on crime. Analyses of city wide crime data evidence no impact of the supervised injection facility on crime. Disaggregated analyses indicate a significant decrease in crimes in the district where the supervised injection facility is located. Implications of the findings are discussed.

scholarly journals Evaluation of supervised injection facilities as an ethically sound approach to treatment of injection drug abuse

2017 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 67-69
Author(s):  
Katherine Fleshner ◽  
Matthew Greenacre
Keyword(s):  
Drug Use ◽  
Injection Drug Use ◽  
Drug Users ◽  
Active Drug ◽  
Categorical Imperative ◽  
Injection Drug ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Drug Paraphernalia ◽  
Supervised Injection ◽  
Supervised Injection Facilities

Novel approaches are needed to address the issue of injection drug use in Canada, which can have negative consequences for drug users and society. Supervised injection facilities (SIFs) are legally sanctioned facilities in Canada where drug users can receive sterile drug paraphernalia, referral to cessation programs and timely medical care if necessary. SIFs operate under the principle of harm reduction, which aims to reduce rates of infection and death due to overdose among drug users. SIFs are largely driven by the utilitarian ideal of maximizing benefit for the greatest number of people, through supervision of active drug users and appropriate referral for those wishing to quit. Deontological theory may support SIFs depending on how one applies the categorical imperative. Studies of the first SIF in North America, Insite, have shown demonstrable reductions in adverse health and societal consequences of injection drug use, rationalizing their implementation under consequentialism. SIFs are, therefore, suitable for greater adoption by the healthcare system.

scholarly journals A Framework of AI-Based Approaches to Improving eHealth Literacy and Combating Infodemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianming Liu ◽  
Xiang Xiao
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
General Framework ◽  
Content Filtering ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Ehealth Literacy ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Entire Society ◽  
The Right ◽  
General Advantage

The global COVID-19 pandemic has put everyone in an urgent need of accessing and comprehending health information online. Meanwhile, there has been vast amount of information/misinformation/disinformation generated over the Internet, particularly social media platforms, resulting in an infodemic. This public health crisis of COVID-19 pandemic has put each individual and the entire society in a test: what is the level of eHealth literacy is needed to seek accurate health information from online resources and to combat infodemic during a pandemic? This article aims to summarize the significances and challenges of improving eHealth literacy in both communicable (e.g., COVID-19) and non-communicable diseases [e.g., cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)]. Also, this article will make our recommendations of a general framework of AI-based approaches to improving eHealth literacy and combating infodemic, including AI-augmented lifelong learning, AI-assisted translation, simplification, and summarization, and AI-based content filtering. This general framework of AI-based approaches to improving eHealth literacy and combating infodemic has the general advantage of matching the right online health information to the right people.

scholarly journals The Right to Vote: Implications of New Zealand's International Legal Obligations and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990

1996 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 575
Author(s):  
Sarah McClelland
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Bill Of Rights ◽  
Legal Obligations ◽  
Electoral Laws ◽  
International Obligations ◽  
Right To Vote ◽  
The Right

This article challenges several aspects of the then-new electoral laws outlining the MMP ("Mixed Member Proportional") system, and claims that they are not consistent with international obligations or with the right to vote set out in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990. The aspects covered are the rules relating to voting by prisoners, the residential requirements for voting, and the election of list MPs.

scholarly journals PM NARENDRA MODI’S APPEAL ON FIGHTING AGAINST COVID-19: A STUDY

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 140-149
Author(s):  
Gurjeet Kaur ◽  
Ashutosh Mishra
Keyword(s):  
Research Work ◽  
Second World War ◽  
State Governments ◽  
World War ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
The People ◽  
The Right ◽  
Second World ◽  
Made In

The COVID-19 pandemic is today's biggest public health crisis and the world's largest threat to humanity since the Second World War. COVID-19 has triggered a profound economic crisis, as well as an unprecedented human toll . India is trying to minimise the pandemic‟s impact and for this Centre and State governments are working hard to sensitise people to keep all the precautions suggested by international and national experts to stop it‟s spread. The motive of this study is to know whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi is managed to send the right message at the right time. What are the messages and how many times during the lockdown or post lockdown, he addressed the country to instil trust in the people. This research work also focused on to discuss how frequently he has briefed about the measures being taken to curb COVID-19 and to bring the situation under control. In order to study speeches PM Modi delivered during the lockdown, this work aims at conducting the content analysis of Mann ki Baat episodes (March-June 2020) based on the COVID-19 information and all those appeals to the nation that PM made in the 4 months ( March –June 2020) have been used as a sample for the study. This paper outlines the scope of understanding how PM has inculcated the habit among people about taking precautions to prevent themselves from COVID-19.

scholarly journals French People’s positions on supervised injection facilities for drug users

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Teresa Munoz Sastre ◽  
Lonzozou Kpanake ◽  
Etienne Mullet
Keyword(s):  
Health Professionals ◽  
Drug Users ◽  
Political Orientation ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Rehabilitation Programs ◽  
Supervised Injection ◽  
Safe Injection ◽  
Supervised Injection Facilities ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Unsafe Injection

Abstract Background Supervised injection facilities have been set-up in many countries to curb the health risks associated with unsafe injection practices. These facilities have, however, been met with vocal opposition, notably in France. As harm reduction policies can only succeed to the extent that people agree with them, this study mapped French people’s opinions regarding the setting-up of these facilities. Method A sample of 318 adults--among them health professionals--were presented with 48 vignettes depicting plans to create a supervised injection facility in their town. Each vignette contained three pieces of information: (a) the type of substance that would be injected in the facility (amphetamines only, amphetamines and cocaine only, or amphetamines, cocaine and heroin), (b) the type of staff who would be working in the facility (physicians and nurses, specially trained former drug users, specially trained current drug users, or trained volunteers recruited by the municipality), and (c) the staff members’ mission (to be present and observe only, technical counselling about safe injection, counselling about safe injection and hygiene, or counselling and encouragement to follow a detoxification program). Results Through cluster analysis, three qualitatively different positions were found: Not very acceptable (20%), Depends on staff and mission (49%), and Always acceptable (31%). These positions were associated with demographic characteristics--namely gender, age and political orientation. Conclusion French people’s positions regarding supervised injection facilities were extremely diverse. One type of facility would, however, be accepted by a large majority of people: supervised injection facilities run by health professionals whose mission would be, in addition to technical and hygienic counselling, to encourage patrons to enter detoxification or rehabilitation programs.

“They Lacked the Right Food”: A Brief History of Breastfeeding and the Quest for Social Justice

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline H. Wolf
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Late 19Th Century ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Right ◽  
Basic Level

In the late 19th-century United States and Europe, infants died at high rates from diarrhea. Physicians and social justice advocates responded to the public health crisis with attempts to clean up the water and cows’ milk supplies, as well as social welfare legislation and assorted educational efforts to help mothers better care for their children. Most visible among the educational efforts were breastfeeding campaigns. A century later in developing countries, physicians and activists were confronted with a similar problem—infants dying from diarrhea due to the unethical advertising and marketing practices of formula companies. I argue in this article that crusades for social justice at the most basic level—to ensure that children will live to adulthood—have long been connected with efforts to safeguard mothers’ ability to adequately breastfeed their children.

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