Why I Help Addicts Shoot Up: Interview With Meera Bai, Christian Nurse & Harm Reduction Advocate
Why I help addicts shoot up: Interview with Meera Bai, Christian nurse & harm reduction advocate – Put in simple terms harm reduction is meeting people where they are at. In the homeless service’s space harm reduction also means being sober is not a requirement for services such as housing. My recent visit with Donny in Calgary [bit.ly is a near text book example. Donny was drinking and using on the streets for over 20 years, but when he got into housing and was given some dignity Donny got sober all on his own. But Donny was also lucky. He never really got into very hard drugs, so it was easier for him to get sober. Often this is hard for ‘normal’ people to understand but there is a point where drugs take over a persons life. They lose all reason and self-worth. Their whole existence revolves around getting another fix. Often this path takes a person down an unthinkable path of self-destruction. People end up doing things to survive that are horrible. HIV , Hepatitis C, and drug related deaths become a very serious public safety issue for all of us. One story I heard from a few different people is addicts using puddles of urine to “fix” their heroin. The thought makes me cringe, but I know what drugs did to me when I was heavily addicted. I needed drugs more than I needed air and would do anything to get them. My second city in Canada was Vancouver and I spent a day in Vancouver’s Downtown East side. [bit.ly have always wanted to visit a “wet shelter” (a shelter that provides alcohol) to see for myself. I call myself a ‘liberal redneck’ so although I do lean towards a …
From Twitter:
RT @christinelewry: When I found out my daughter was taking #drugs I had to bring it back to basics – I would help & she would stop … – by CoffeyBrown1 (Coffey Brown)
From Twitter:
When I found out my daughter was taking #drugs I had to bring it back to basics – I would help & she would stop http://t.co/Eim7D3YM … … – by christinelewry (Christine Lewry)
From Twitter:
Addiction Recovery Counselor – Books help parents of Adult Addicts @marycrockercook http://t.co/2jKvk1VU – by AuthorLaunch (Author Launch)
24 Responses to Why I Help Addicts Shoot Up: Interview With Meera Bai, Christian Nurse & Harm Reduction Advocate
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Wow this definitely makes me think…Honestly I am not sure? how I feel about this. I can see the pros and cons.
You can support harm reduction in your community and country. You can advocate for policy change and spread awareness of the? issue. There’s a lot you can do to help.
Your claims are completely unsubstantiated by any evidence. If you had bothered to do any examination of the subject you would know that harm reduction does not increase use. Syringe exchange prevents the spread of Hep C and HIV, saving lives and millions in tax dollars. This matter has been? settled at the supreme court.
I wish the whole world had her intelligence and understanding?
I think this is really? good!
@cdw100, how nice of you to? put about 3 seconds of thought into it
I’m a RN and I do not support giving syringes out to any one. It does not help? to decrease the incidences and maintains the habit. This is obvious as the drug addictions level are increasing. Thanks for helping it maintain and increase.
Great – but how can I? help drug person – is it only hospital or doctors o how ca I help???
, Please take a minute to wiki this because you come off highly ignorant. She is only observing and managing a safe environment. Also your statement of not being part of any medical protocol is wrong, eg Switzerland’s Heroin Maintenance Program. Please educate yourself prior to making emotionally? fueled responses that renders your statement null and void.
Meera Bai-God will? judge your mistake. Yes, what you do IS UN-ETHICAL.
Just to clarify, Insite DOES NOT provide drugs of any kind. It’s just a safe alternative to the streets. Medical professionals are there in case anyone overdoses, or if they want help getting off drugs. A detox is also provided. Simply put, safe injection sites save lives? and drastically reduce public health issues.
Hey all! Just seeing some misconceptions happening here in the comments I’d like to clear up. InSite nurses do not provide drugs? nor do they inject users. The concept of supervised injection is that nurses are present when users are injecting themselves, so that if they do overdose, they can receive medical attention.
No it is not. Giving a boozer more whiskey does not work, just go to the reserves. Giving heroin to dopes does not cure them. Strangely it keeps them alive, to continue living their own personal hell. As part of christian doctrine Christ was clear-“Go forth and sin no more”. Now this was after he had performed the miracle? of healing. Giving heroin and assisting in injecting is not a healing miracle, it is a criminal offence.
I grew up in and around? the drug addicts’ environment and what is doing may not be “medical protocol”, but what she is doing is in the real world is helping them instead of hurting them. When and if they decide to get clean, unfortunately it’s usually much easier for them to do so when they get help in this way.
She should be reported to the college of nursing and have her licence removed. ? She is injecting a toxic substance, harm reduction is not part of any medical protocol.
I? read her article. Crazy but amazing organization. I have an open mind, so I’d like to learn more. I appreciate your informative journey big guy! Stay Passionate.
Good? interview!
i do agree that she is much better looking then you
WOW you Touch on so many different things that
I have a family will not open them selves up to these ideas
ha ha my son just got back from 24 hours in Tampa Fl at a hotel
he has been talking more of a wonderful it was to get an up grade
to one of the penthouse suits …
?
You deserve? a million more views.
Thanks for this post. Quite eye/mind opening.
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Very interesting. It definatly would be hard to reach addicts if they wont let? them in.
-The? War on Drugs- Making addicts into criminals and simple plant substances worth more than gold since 1970
If we have so many Christian in this world, why do we have so many homeless people? True Christians would not allow? their family memebers and friends to live on the streets.
The Governments war on drugs is causing people to use harder drugs most would be perfectly satisfied smoking MJ than heading to real drugs. The drugs that should be illegal is alcohol I have not seen very many good side affects using? alcohol. I say let the medical professionals treat addiction and you will see less people on drugs. And it will cost a lot less doing it that way. DEA is a harmful organization that is in it to make money.