Supervised consumption and treatment services, or a supervised consumption site (SCS), is a space where people can use drugs under the supervision of trained staff in a sterile, safe, and non-judgemental environment. Individuals can also receive medical care and referrals to other health and social services. People are also provided with take home safer drug use equipment.
Given the rise in opioid-related overdoses, supervised consumption sites and supervised consumption and treatment services (SCTS) have been shown to reduce overdoses, infections, and deaths related to drug use. In other communities, these services have been beneficial in referring clients to essential services like housing and mental health care.
Greater Sudbury’s Supervised Consumption Site
Réseau ACCESS Network opened Greater Sudbury’s supervised consumption site, also known as Minoogawbi, La Place, The Spot on September 28, 2022. The site closed its doors on March 29, 2024 due to lack of funding.
To find out more about the history of The Spot, please visit Réseau ACCESS Network ’s website.
Pathway to opening the supervised consumption site
In May of 2021, Health Canada granted a federal exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to operate a supervised consumption site at the Réseau ACCESS Network – 24 Energy Court site in Greater Sudbury. The location, close to Sudbury’s downtown core, was chosen due to its central location and proximity to other social and harm reduction services offered in the community. The federal exemption was the final element required to complete the provincial application for a funded supervised consumption and treatment service.
To date, the Community Drug Strategy has accomplished the following necessary steps to implement a supervised consumption site:
- Conducted our Supervised Consumption Services Needs Assessment and Feasibility Study
- Online community survey
- Interviews with people who inject drugs
- Focus groups
- Secondary data analysis
- Obtained a letter of support from municipal council and letter of opinion from the Ontario Ministry of Health
- Submitted a request for federal exemption from Health Canada
- Submitted a provincial funding application to the Ontario Ministry of Health
- Constructed the supervised consumption site located at 24 Energy Court
- Hosted a site visit with Health Canada
- Granted federal exemption for a supervised consumption site by Health Canada
- Submitted a provincial application for funded supervised consumption and treatment services
Supervised consumption services: questions and answers
People arrive with their own drugs and are given supplies and education to foster safer drug use practices. Pre-obtained drugs are then used under the safety and supervision of trained personnel. A waiting room is then offered to the individual where information about other health services, social supports in the community, and referrals are available. Trained personnel are always onsite to support individuals accessing services at any point in their visit, and act in the event of a medical emergency.
Supervised consumption services respect an individual’s choices and support equal health and health access for all. There has been a lot of research done on the benefits these services offer for communities and people who use substances. The four main goals of these services are to:
- save lives and reduce the number of overdoses
- reduce the spread of infectious diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis C
- offer primary health care services, addictions treatment, and social services to people who use drugs
- reducing substance use in public spaces
In other communities, these services have been shown to:
- reduce opioid overdoses and hospital visits
- reduce opioid overdose deaths
- reduce infectious disease such as HIV, hepatitis C
- increase access to basic health care services such as wound care
- reduce public consumption of illegal drugs
- reduce publicly discarded syringes
- decrease unsafe injection practices (e.g. syringe sharing)
- increase access and referrals to health and social services (including detoxification & substance treatment)
- improve the health of people who use drugs
- be cost-effective solutions for health systems
These services have NOT been shown to:
- shift drug use to different neighbourhoods
- increase rates of intravenous (IV) drug use
- increase drug-related crimes
Yes, there are supervised consumption services worldwide including Canada. For a list of the current sites learn more at Health Canada.
There is no evidence that these services promote drug use or lead to an increase in first-time drug use. People do not start using drugs because these services are offered.