A national health charity said a survey it recently commissioned shows there is more public support for government-led harm reduction efforts than there is opposition.
With provincial legislation poised to shut down several safe injection sites in Toronto by April, the survey revealed 27 per cent of Ontarians report having a close friend or family member who is struggling with a substance use problem.
That's according to CATIE, a national health information charity that commissioned the poll late last year.
Half of Ontarians responded that they support harm reduction programs and services, compared to 21 per cent who oppose them, according to the survey.
"This support remains consistent across genders and regions," CATIE said in a release.
In fact, nearly half (49 per cent) of respondents said governments should actually expand support for harm reduction programs and services compared to 23 per cent who disagreed.
Other key findings
Among respondents, 57 per cent agreed harm reduction programs save the lives of many people who use drugs, compared to 22 per cent who disagreed.
A total of 47 per cent agreed the services make communities safer compared to 24 per cent who did not.
Support is also strong across age groups, and especially among millennials and Gen Z, CATIE's survey found.
Many viewed the programs as a crucial bridge to obtaining substance use treatment, while others cited the benefits of reduced pressure on health care and first responders.
"These findings show that most Ontarians believe supervised consumption sites and needle exchange programs are a pragmatic and common-sense approach to substance use," Jody Jollimore, executive director of CATIE said in a news release.
"More Ontarians agree with health-care providers that these services save lives, make communities safer, and reduce pressure on the healthcare system."
"We are sharing these results with decision-makers to help them consider both the evidence and mainstream public opinion on this issue."
The survey was conducted by Hill & Knowlton on behalf of CATIE. A total of 1,250 Ontario residents 18 or older were surveyed online between Nov. 15 and 20.
