Parksville councillors are looking to restrict how needles are exchanged and handed out to those who use them for illicit substances, drawing the ire of health experts. (The Canadian Press)

By Spencer Sterritt

Parksville councillors to face stiff pushback in efforts to regulate needle distribution

Jul 4, 2019 | 8:15 AM

PARKSVILLE — Councillors are challenging harm reduction efforts by Island Health and trying to pass a bylaw regulating the distribution of needles.

A proposed bylaw from Parksville mayor Ed Mayne passed the first and second reading during a July 3 council meeting.

The bylaw seeks to require substance users exchange their needles for clean ones, have the needles handed out be retractable and also have the name of the distributor listed on the side to better track and invoice distributors.

Mayor Mayne called the current harm reduction approach of Island Health and the province “nonsense.”

“Be prepared for an onslaught of emails and letters from the so-called experts, those that claim to know more about this than we do,” he told his fellow councillors. “The same ones that have allowed the addiction problem to become an epidemic.”

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In response, medical health officer Dr. Paul Hasselback said the harm reduction efforts undertaken by health authorities has been remarkable.

“Its been extremely effective at reducing the burden on the population of illnesses which are very difficult to treat and manage,” he told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Mayor Mayne and councillor Adam Fras said they’re particularly in favour of requiring used needles be exchanged for fresh ones, after claiming to see “hundreds of needles on the grounds all over our towns.”

Dr. Hasselback confirmed Island Health already receives roughly 98 per cent of the needles given out at needle exchange sites on Vancouver Island.

He said conversations about municipalities stepping in to regulate needle distribution, which is a provincial initiative, will likely do more harm than good.

“It’s leading to divisiveness within the community and disrespect for members of the community. That’s where we’re actually having more problems. I actually suspect what is being proposed is counterproductive relative to the outcomes council is trying to achieve.”

Hasselback said a community response focused on education, harm reduction and the safe disposal of any needles found in the community would be the best solution.

“Where we run into community angst is often the hysteria associated with a single needle being found in a park. Maybe our conversation needs to be more about how can we reassure individuals that it’s okay to safely pick up a needle and dispose of it.”

Coun. Fras said he was most in favour of the idea of retractable syringes being handed out, as a way to remove the threat of a needle poke if someone does come across one.

However, Hasselback said it was found to not be an appropriate solution for substance users.

“They don’t work very well because most of them need to be manually retracted. That’s something that’s not necessarily going to occur. This isn’t the solution…and probably would be something that would be an impediment to actually having a good program in place.”

The issue of retractable needles was examined by the province, who also handle any bylaws impacting public health.

The proposed Parksville bylaw requires approval from the Ministry of Health.

“I can’t predict what would occur, but I don’t think (the bylaw) is in line with what we’re trying to achieve as a province in the midst of an opioid crisis.”

City staff said they expect a response from the province by September.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit