Got this from an email. Contact them to get on the list (deets at the bottom).
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Pivot Annual General Meeting
Featuring guest speaker Dr. Evan Wood presenting on drug policy, harm reduction and crack cocaine use. All welcome! Where: 112 West Hastings Street Cost: Free 2009 board member elections will take place following Dr. Wood’s talk. Interested candidates for the Board should contact jrichardson AT pivotlegal DOT com. Members are hereby notified that at the AGM, proposed amendments to Pivot Legal Society’s bylaws will be forwarded to create the positions of “Honourary Director” and “Founding Director”. Text of the amendments will be available at the meeting, and in advance of the meeting on request. TITLE OF PRESENTATION: The Drug Situation in Vancouver: Reality, perception and policy
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Pivot’s mandate is to take a strategic approach to social change, using the law to address the root causes that undermine the quality of life of those most on the margins. We believe that everyone, regardless of income, benefits from a healthy and inclusive community where values such as opportunity, respect and equality are strongly rooted in the law.Our mailing address is:
Pivot
678 Hastings Street East
Vancouver, BC V6A 1R1 |
Evan Wood MD, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Division of AIDS at the University of British Columbia and Director of the Urban Health Research Initiative at the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS. Dr. Wood’s has extensive research experience in the area of clinical epidemiology, especially in evaluating the treatment of HIV/AIDS among injection drug users, and epidemiologic study design especially in evaluating HIV prevention interventions. Dr Wood was the founding principal investigator of North America’s first medically supervised safer injecting facility and is an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Drug Policy.
raincoaster media 
homelesschampions
November 19, 2009
As someone who has survived addiction ,and has dedicated my life to recovery I feel academia slash harm reduction, and the so called drug policies may be a little tainted. The experiment we have here in Vancouver’s dtes seems to sustain addiction with out a question people have access to a free and steady flow of drugs at will the police seem to let it happen the support of addiction is a well oiled machine, I personally do not believe you could find a better resource anywhere else in North America. Here is where i draw the line, that is the end result of a twenty year bit of consumption and so called harm reduction policies .The evolution of drug consumption in this city has destroyed many poor lost souls just so they can indulge, talk to anyone who’s lived it and they wish they could turn back time. The end result of consumption is destroyed health no matter what, being spiritually bankrupt emotionally distraught and a life full of hopelessness . If ever a politician needed a platform to launch a career ”DETOX” is the key, Harm Reduction recovery, or true support for addicts is in this form and nothing else, DETOX to me seems as if it doesn’t exist, the need is so important it should be at the very top of the list but to me it’s floating around near the bottom.
raincoaster
November 19, 2009
Oh, there are many detox beds, if not enough for everyone.
The problem with the Four Pillars plan (as I’ve said repeatedly elsewhere) is that they have supported three of them, but not the most important; prevention. I’m unable to find any figures at all on what the government spends on prevention.
When you facilitate consumption and repeated rehabs without stopping the influx of people to addiction, given that the most dangerous time for overdoses is right after rehab, what you facilitate is a faster mortality rate among addicts.
So, are you going to be attending the meeting or runnign for a spot on the board?
homelesschampions
November 19, 2009
I DISAGREE
On any given day you have two or threehundred people who would happily enter detox and only around two hundred beds for the lower mainland, factor in ten to twelve thousand registered insite client’s and i see a huge problem. yes i will be attending on monday and know no i will not be running for the board
raincoaster
November 19, 2009
WE DON’T ACTUALLY DISAGREE.
I know how many beds there are. I also know there are fewer than 25 beds for teens with addictions. But looking at the recidivism stats for grads of detox programs, I don’t think that detox is the game-changer.
I think that detox without prevention only increases the odds that the addicted population will die of overdoses post-rehab. If you don’t decrease the number of people becoming addicted, the net effect of detox is to increase the likelihood of fatal OD. If you decrease the number of people becoming addicted, not only is there less pressure on detox resources and more opportunity for follow-up, but you’ll decrease fatalities.
homelesschampions
November 19, 2009
LET’S START FROM THE BEGINNING
Harm reduction using drugs not using drugs our system is so far over the top that we now have a concern that anyone who needs detox has to be careful not to overdose if they go back to there addiction, I have known quite a few people who have gone on to full recovery from detox, Without it there would not have been a chance in hell, I’ll also agree that some people are more likely to overdose after a short stay in detox . To me anyday that a drug addict is clean is a day worth living. While in detox the chance of having a look at your life might be a breaking point for some. Personally if all detox offered was bed and breakfast for seventy percent of there client’s I would support it, not having to beg borrow or steal sell your body or crawl threw garbage to support a habit is very destructive. A roof over your head three squares medicine counseling all very positive and supportive most of the hardcore addicts that go into detox experience a well deserved break from a brutal life
raincoaster
November 19, 2009
Great points, thanks. One of the issues I have with detox as it’s currently offered is, it’s all or nothing. When your six weeks are done, you’re on the street again. That’s just not enough support; it’s more facilitation towards falling back into use. I want to see a decent support system for grads.
raincoaster
November 29, 2009
[above looooooooooooooooong, grandstanding proclamation deleted]
Why don’t you get a blog of your own, where you can post grandstanding proclamations? Oh wait, you HAVE one already?
The comments section here is for comments that relate to the post. Since the AGM is long over and you’re only engaging in copypasta, not debate, I encourage you to move on.