A Tale of Two Crises (Down and Out on the Downtown Eastside)
A Tale of Two Crises (Down and Out on the Downtown Eastside)
CANNABIS CULTURE – How the Cannabis Substitution Project adapts to serve Canada’s most notorious neighbourhood during COVID-19.
The following is a front-line report from CSP Director & Cannabis Culture advocate Neil Magnuson:
These are extraordinary circumstances for sure, with the measures being taken to address the spread of the latest version of the Corona virus, there is an eeriness and a very noticeable dampening of spirits on the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. There are still a fair number of people on the sidewalks, unlike most other areas of the city. There are groups of people up and down Hastings St. in the usual spots, some people are closer than recommended but there is also more “spacing” than normal. Almost all businesses are closed, it’s really hard to find a washroom, there are alot fewer cars on the road and a lot fewer services available.These are strange times to be down and out in the Downtown EastSide.The authorities have installed several portable hand washing stations but the supplies are quickly stolen and the stations vandalized. The last few days there have been fire trucks driving up and down Hastings st. announcing the protocols over their speakers.So far there are only a few rumors of cases in the DTES but it is a very vulnerable demographic with many unable to self isolate. If it starts to spread here it will be devastating. With so many people suffering even more due to this health crisis, and with the people in the area still being ravaged by the poisoned drug supply, our project is needed more now than ever.
CSP care packages
The Cannabis Substitution Project is now in its 4th year of providing “care packs” of high dose Cannabis edibles for free to people to offset the use of street drugs and opioids. We meet twice a week and hand out over 250 packs each time. The CSP is run entirely by a team of amazing volunteers and all of the products that are in the care packs are provided by donations.We do this from the lobby of VANDU, the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users at 380 E.Hastings, who have been very good about allowing us to use their space since the beginning.
Although we have been in regular contact with Coastal Health, and we do appreciate their understanding of the importance of us continuing, we have not had anyone come to help us in anyway. We could use more masks and we are still not able to properly meet the demand.