3849 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

- Deliberately placed needles prick Victoria gardner one week apart -

 

VicPD is warning people after a woman was pricked by a needle that appeared to be deliberately placed in a planter.

 

This morning, officers were called to the 700-block of Johnson Street after a woman reported that she had located a needle that was placed in a planter with the needle sticking up.

 

When a VicPD officer attended, the woman stated that she had been pricked by another needle while gardening a week ago. That needle was placed in another planter in the same area. The woman sought medical attention at that time.

 

If you have any information on this incident, please call (250) 995-7654. To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

[sebberry]

^ Thankfully, the needle ban is coming along side the plastic bag ban. 

[Nparker]

^ Thankfully, the needle ban is coming along side the plastic bag ban. 

           

[Nparker]

I am not sure how someone can be so certain of the behaviour of people who are high or otherwise incapacitated by drugs.

...Jack Phillips, director of the peer-to-peer Solid Outreach network for drug users, said in the years of his experience picking up needles off the street, he has never come across one left in an intentionally harmful or threatening way. "Something is happening but I can't quantify what that is," he said. He is adamant that, if the needles were placed deliberately, it was not done by a homeless person or drug user...

http://www.cbc.ca/ne....4490762?cmp=rss

Yes, something is happening. Illicit drug use is becoming more rampant in the CoV and therefore the ill effects from this activity are becoming more wide spread. It's not exactly rocket science.

Edited by Nparker, 17 January 2018 - 09:34 AM.

[Midnightly]

I am not sure how someone can be so certain of the behaviour of people who are high or otherwise incapacitated by drugs.

Yes, something is happening. Illicit drug use is becoming more rampant in the CoV and therefore the ill effects from this activity are becoming more wide spread. It's not exactly rocket science.

 

ofcourse it's becoming more wide spread.. we're basically telling people it's ok to use illicit drugs, we are providing them with the needles to do the drugs and a safe place in which to do them, removing the stigma that drugs are bad and not passing down consequences for when they do things that break the law...

 

Yesterday my husband had to call the police to remove a squatter that has set themselves up by our side exit door, it took the police 20 minutes for the police to show up, then HE had to clean up the mess left behind, the squatter also decided to defecate on the cement pathway, there is a grassy area right beside the pathway, there's some bushes maybe 15ft away... but does the person take a crap there? no.. leaves it right on the pathway for someone to step on..and all the police did was move the person along.. the person gets away with it because they are homeless and addicted and it frustrates me that as a society we act like this is ok or else make excuses for this type of behavior

[On the Level]

So according to the "needle summit" held in Victoria today, we should just expect needle pricks to happen.  I wonder if VIHA would change it's tune if it was held responsible for it's part in this.

[spanky123]

So according to the "needle summit" held in Victoria today, we should just expect needle pricks to happen.  I wonder if VIHA would change it's tune if it was held responsible for it's part in this.

 

According to Richard Stanwick, it could be people trying to discredit harm reduction services who are placing the needles and not actual users.

[pennymurphy2000]

What a completely ridiculous thing for Stanwick to say. Why doesn't VIHA switch to safety needles? Why don't they colour code the needles they do give out and track which colour is not being properly disposed of and change the distribution model for said facility. Or attach a bar code for each user that gets scanned as it is returned. Ones that don't get returned come off that users welfare cheque at the end of the month. This is not rocket science. 

[spanky123]

What a completely ridiculous thing for Stanwick to say. Why doesn't VIHA switch to safety needles? Why don't they colour code the needles they do give out and track which colour is not being properly disposed of and change the distribution model for said facility. Or attach a bar code for each user that gets scanned as it is returned. Ones that don't get returned come off that users welfare cheque at the end of the month. This is not rocket science. 

 

Cost. 

[Rob Randall]

^At first it sounds silly that it could be a false flag plan by one demented person. But the raw anger displayed by some of these anti-needle people is enough to cast doubt in my mind. Just seems to me addicts in general have little motivation, craftiness or enthusiasm to engage in a sick campaign like this.

[Mike K.]

The needle at McDonald's that pricked the child was used for "medical purposes," police say. VicPD won't elaborate on what that means, but they have identified the person who left behind the needle and have spoken with them.

 

Rob, you gotta talk with some parks and grounds crews who work for the CoV. They'll relate frightening stories of used needles being left in precarious places and how they came upon them.

 

Some addicts have more than enough motivation, craftiness and enthusiasm to engage in sick campaigns like what we're seeing, and quite honestly what we're seeing/hearing about in the media is a tiny fraction of what people are encountering in their yards and on their properties (never mind in public spaces). Let's not pretend someone addicted to drugs can only be one type of person with only one motivation.

[rmpeers]

What a completely ridiculous thing for Stanwick to say. Why doesn't VIHA switch to safety needles? Why don't they colour code the needles they do give out and track which colour is not being properly disposed of and change the distribution model for said facility. Or attach a bar code for each user that gets scanned as it is returned. Ones that don't get returned come off that users welfare cheque at the end of the month. This is not rocket science.

Did he provide any evidence to back the conspiracy theory? (other than that the needle clean-up folks haven't reported an increase)

Seems like a pretty out-there response otherwise.

[Jason-L]

What a completely ridiculous thing for Stanwick to say. Why doesn't VIHA switch to safety needles? Why don't they colour code the needles they do give out and track which colour is not being properly disposed of and change the distribution model for said facility. Or attach a bar code for each user that gets scanned as it is returned. Ones that don't get returned come off that users welfare cheque at the end of the month. This is not rocket science. 

I expect the needles are purchased in bulk, and stored in sealed boxes.  Inside the boxes, they're further separated and stored in sealed plastic packaging.  They're likely distributed in the boxes, which are broken down at the facilities and distributed there.

 

So colour-coding the needles would be prohibitively labour intensive (unbox every individual needle, remove from individual packaging, colour-code, autoclave, return to fresh new packaging, rebox).  Similar problem with bar-coding each needle.

 

Note, these needles appear to be the generic kind with all kinds of intended use, not specifically designed for IV street drug consumption.

 

And it's not rocket science ... more social science, process design science, and likely medical science.

Edited by Jason-L, 18 January 2018 - 02:06 PM.

[Nparker]

...And it's not rocket science ... more social science, process design science, and likely medical science.

And perhaps the realization that harm-reduction shouldn't end at safe-consumption sites.

[Rob Randall]

Just found out today a former tenant at my old condo died of a drug overdose. Super guy, fitness buff, personal trainer. Friendly, great tenant, always paid rent ahead of time. Not even a hint that he had any drug problem.

[VicHockeyFan]

Just found out today a former tenant at my old condo died of a drug overdose. Super guy, fitness buff, personal trainer. Friendly, great tenant, always paid rent ahead of time. Not even a hint that he had any drug problem.

 

Was he the fella that was a part-time security/doorman at the Strath?

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 18 January 2018 - 02:59 PM.

[Rob Randall]

^Different guy. This guy was a Cross-Fit expert. He posted a Cross-Fit Fran video the week before he died.

 

His parents wrote his obit. Tough job to do.

 

https://www.vicnews....ew-yvon-conway/

 

 

This disease is very powerful and cunning. It’s a problem of silence, secrecy, shame and struggle. People afflicted by this disease are in a constant battle, both physically and mentally. In this day and age, the idea that people have to “hit rock bottom” is unacceptable. Drugs now are so powerful, addictive and poisoned that rock bottom is almost certain death.

Loved ones are dying at epidemic rates. We must, as a society, become more informed about this disease. Stop judging. Stop blaming. Join together to find better solutions for this ever changing world.

[A Girl is No one]

The needle at McDonald's that pricked the child was used for "medical purposes," police say. VicPD won't elaborate on what that means, but they have identified the person who left behind the needle and have spoken with them.

Rob, you gotta talk with some parks and grounds crews who work for the CoV. They'll relate frightening stories of used needles being left in precarious places and how they came upon them.

Some addicts have more than enough motivation, craftiness and enthusiasm to engage in sick campaigns like what we're seeing, and quite honestly what we're seeing/hearing about in the media is a tiny fraction of what people are encountering in their yards and on their properties (never mind in public spaces). Let's not pretend someone addicted to drugs can only be one type of person with only one motivation.

Agreed. I’ve seen a lot of motivation and craftiness and hate towards the « evil » taxpayers in the tent city days.
I’m really tired of always ending up accused, as a law abiding taxpayer, of being responsible for all the bad stuff these guys are doing.
In case Stanwick hasn’t noticed, we are busy working so we can pay taxes to support him and all the services. How on earth would anyone have time to go out and do stupid stuff like putting needles out...and why?

[Sparky]

Woodwyn Farm is closing.

[Nparker]

Woodwyn Farm is closing.

They didn't fit the local narrative of harm-reduction. They were actually trying to get addicts to become healthy and productive members of society. Oh, and NIMBYism. Big time NIMBYism.