Work is underway to set up a site where inmates can use drugs under medical supervision at a prison in Kingston, Ont.

The overdose prevention service (OPS) at the Collins Bay Institution will be the third of its kind in Canada and the first in Ontario.

The goal is to save lives, limit needle-sharing and prevent the spread of infectious diseases, according to Correctional Service Canada (CSC).

Drugs consumed at the location will be self-supplied, meaning substances that are smuggled in.

It’s an approach that’s supported by harm reduction advocates and the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers (UCCO), but also presents prison staff with the question of whether they’re condoning illicit drug use behind bars.

“It’s almost a moral dilemma for us,” said Chris Bucholtz, UCCO’s Ontario regional president.

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CBC News
September 12, 2023