'There is no safe use': Sask. government defends decision to restrict harm reduction measures

The Government of Saskatchewan is defending its decision to restrict funding for several harm reduction measures last month.

The Government of Saskatchewan is defending its decision to restrict funding for several harm reduction measures last month.

The provincial government believes it was sending the wrong message by providing pipes to inhale drugs and supporting needle exchange programs.

“It somehow implies that illicit drug use is safe and it’s not safe. There is no safe use of illicit drugs,” Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Tim McLeod told CTV News.

Needle exchange programs will be required to operate on purely on an exchange base – meaning that used needles will need to be returned in order for any to be provided.

Under the new approach, crack pipes and other associated supplies will no longer by provided through public health funding.

“The model had really drifted from an exchange model to more of a distribution model over time and that was an unauthorized shift so we’re just putting that back where it was originally intended,” McLeod added.

The government’s shift means harm reduction clinics will now have to purchase supplies that were previously publicly funded.