ARCHES, 1016 1 Avenue S, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 0B1, Canada.
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
Can J Public Health. 2019 Apr;110(2):210-215. doi: 10.17269/s41997-019-00180-w. Epub 2019 Feb 6.
The first regulated supervised inhalation site (safer smoking room) in North America has opened in Lethbridge, Alberta, as part of a supervised consumption site addressing all routes of consumption. When designing the service, we felt it was important to accommodate not just injection drug use but also inhalation because (1) it is not the method of drug use that kills but the drug itself, (2) all people who use drugs deserve service regardless of their mode of use, and (3) people who use drugs should have the opportunity to use the method with the lowest risk.
We received approval from Health Canada to offer supervised inhalation services in addition to supervised injection services. Based on a European model, we worked with a local commercial heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) company to create rooms with ventilation systems that complied with Canadian health and safety regulations.
People who use drugs by inhalation have repeatedly told us that they want to use indoors and will do so given the option. Since opening the supervised consumption service at the end of February 2018, the response has been overwhelming and both of the inhalation rooms are constantly in use.
Supervised inhalation services provide an alternative to public drug use and an opportunity for people who use drugs to engage with harm reduction services. Other supervised consumption services in Canada may also wish to pursue exemptions for this service.
作为一个针对所有吸毒途径的监管监督吸食场所（更安全的吸烟室），全加拿大首家监管监督吸食场所已于阿尔伯塔省莱斯布里奇市开业。在设计这项服务时，我们认为不仅要考虑到注射吸毒，还要考虑到吸食，这很重要，原因如下：（1）导致死亡的是毒品本身，而不是吸毒方式；（2）无论吸毒者采用何种吸毒方式，都应向他们提供服务；（3）吸毒者应能有机会使用风险最低的吸毒方式。
我们获得了加拿大卫生部的批准，除了提供监督注射服务外，还提供监督吸食服务。根据欧洲模式，我们与当地一家商业供暖、制冷和通风（HVAC）公司合作，创建了通风系统符合加拿大健康和安全法规的房间。
通过吸食毒品的人反复告诉我们，他们希望在室内吸食，如果有这个选择，他们会这样做。自 2018 年 2 月底开设监督吸毒服务以来，反响非常热烈，两个吸食室一直都在使用中。
监督吸食服务为公共吸毒提供了一种替代方式，也为吸毒者提供了一个参与减少伤害服务的机会。加拿大其他监督吸毒服务机构也可能希望为这项服务争取豁免权。
