Prime Minister Stephen Harper lacks leadership when it comes to harm reduction programs, a long-time advocate for addiction services in Vancouver said Thursday.

Mark Townsend, director of the Portland Hotel Society in Vancouver, said Harper doesn't understand the scourge of drug addiction.

Insite, located in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, opened in 2003 as a pilot project, exempted from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
(CBC)

"It's depressing to see his [Harper's] lack of leadership on that and now he is out there trying to find a new study that will say the world is flat," Townsend said.

Harper unveiled a $63.8-million, two-year drug strategy in Winnipeg Thursday, saying harm reduction is not a "distinct pillar" of the Conservative strategy.

Vancouver's safe injection site is "a second-best strategy at best," he said, "because if you remain a drug addict, I don't care how much harm you reduce, you're going to have a short and miserable life."

Insite, run by the Portland Hotel Society, is a place where addicts can inject drugs with clean needles in a safe environment, without risking the use of dirty needles in a back lane or exposure to HIV and other diseases.

Dean Wilson, an addict for 29 years, says the facility has helped a lot of heroin users by reducing exposure to dirty needles and other diseases.
(CBC)

The federal health minister announced Tuesday that Insite could operate for a further six months.

Harper said Thursday: "I remain a skeptic that you can tell people we won't stop the drug trade, we won't get you off drugs, we won't even send messages to discourage drug use, but somehow we will keep you addicted and yet reduce the harm just the same."

Townsend said Harper failed to recognize that harm reduction is part of the overall drug strategy that helps protect the community from the spread of HIV and hepatitis C.

Liz Evans, the society's executive director, said Insite does get people off drugs.

"It keeps people alive, in my perspective, long enough so they can access treatments and basic supports."

"Most people take 10 to 12 times, trying to stop before they do it. So what are we going to do?" said Dean Wilson, an addict for 29 years who helped create Insite.