Supervised consumption site user says ID policy could be harmful to Albertans

Alberta’s top court will hear urgent appeal on ID policy for supervised consumption services. A Calgary woman said the change could cause harm to Albertans.

Alberta’s top court will hear an urgent appeal Thursday, led by advocates racing to stop a provincial policy change that they believe will have deadly consequences.

The policy will require people who are using substances to show their personal health-care number to access supervised consumption services.

It’s a change that could bring harm to people who use the  facilities, according to a Calgary woman who is dealing with an opioid addiction.

Ophelia Cara said the ability to access a supervised consumption service with ease was what led her to finally find stability in her life while using drugs.

Cara went to the hospital after a sexual assault in 2020, where she was given an IV to help with the pain.

“That is the first time in my life that I ever had opioids,” she said.

During the pandemic, Cara said her mental health deteriorated after a string of life-altering events. She began to start injecting substances such as heroin.

She said her path with drug-use was unsustainable, but she was not able to quit opioids entirely, despite various attempts at treatment.