Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath says Doug Ford\u2019s decision to halt the opening of planned overdose prevention sites flies in the face of all advice from experts, community members, and volunteers, and risks the lives of Ontarians struggling with addiction.<\/p>\n
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\u201cLate on Friday, the government ordered a halt to previously approved overdose prevention sites. The Premier is interfering with local health care experts and front line workers, who have been crystal clear: these sites save lives,\u201d said Horwath.<\/p>\n
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Doctor David Juurlink, the head of clinical pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Toronto, has said: \u201cThese places save lives, connect people to addiction care, reduce the spread of HIV and hepatitis C, and save the health system money. We need more of these sites, not fewer.\u201d<\/p>\n
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New Democrats have worked with community members and medical experts to support the development and expansion of overdose prevent sites, as an opioid addiction crisis sweeps through communities across the province. Ford\u2019s Conservatives have slashed millions of dollars in funding earmarked for addiction and mental health services, leaving Ontarians struggling to access the services they urgently need.<\/p>\n
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\u201cPeople can\u2019t get treatment if they are dead,\u201d said Horwath.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWhy is the Premier putting lives at risk? How much more evidence does the Premier need, and how many people will he let die until he is satisfied?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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