Many
more now approve of safe injection site in Toronto than 2 years ago
Majority now approve, two thirds in downtown
TORONTO March
23rd - In a random sampling of public opinion taken by the
Forum Poll™ among 908 Toronto voters, the majority, well more than half (57%),
now approve of a safe injection site for intravenous drug users in downtown
Toronto, while just one third disapprove of the idea (32%). About a tenth have
no opinion (13%). This stands in contrast to two years
ago, when just more than 4-in-10 approved (March, 2014 - 43%). and the same
proportion disapproved (43%).
Approval of a safe injection site is common
to the youngest (62%), males (57%) rather than females (53%), the wealthy ($80K
to $100K - 69%), in the downtown (66%), among Olivia Chow voters from the last
mayoral election (78%) and among the best educated (post grad - 63%). In
contrast, in 2014, approval was common to boomers (55 to 64 - 47%) and the very
wealthiest ($100K to $250K - 55%).
“It
appears that harm reduction is more important to Toronto citizens than
enforcement and prohibition, and this may be because of several factors. The
opioid crisis has become more critical just in the past year, and has raised
awareness of intravenous drug us. In addition, the change in government has
been accompanied by a change in attitudes that sees a more caring solution as
preferable to a more strict solution to an intractable problem," said Forum
Research President, Dr. Lorne Bozinoff.
Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum
Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416)
960-9603.
