Vancouver City Council Approves Indoor Supervised Inhalation Booths to Combat Drug Overdoses

On Tuesday, the Vancouver city council made significant changes to its health bylaws, paving the way for indoor supervised drug inhalation services at two designated sites. This move is intended to broaden access to harm-reduction measures, particularly for individuals who smoke illicit drugs. The amendment comes in the wake of changing trends in drug consumption, where smoking has become more prevalent than injection, necessitating a corresponding adjustment in harm reduction strategies.

The BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS will manage public inhalation booths at its Hope to Health clinic, located in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. Additionally, Vancouver Coastal Health plans to trial an inhalation booth specifically for residents of a supportive housing facility. According to Dr. Julio Montaner, the lead at Hope to Health, the data shows a significant decline in injection-related deaths, dropping from almost 39% in 2016 to just over 10% in 2025, while deaths associated with smoking and inhalation have surged from about 29% to around 65%.

Dr. Montaner emphasized that the recent trends indicate a pressing need to better understand the implications of smoking illicit drugs, as there is still limited knowledge regarding their effects on lung health and overall well-being. Furthermore, he noted the scarcity of supervised spaces for those who use inhalation methods, which could provide essential support and the ability to reverse potential overdoses. Despite the establishment of several outdoor inhalation sites in Vancouver, the absence of indoor facilities adds a critical gap in harm-reduction services.

The Hope to Health clinic, which commenced operations in late 2019 and combines mental health and addiction support with primary care, boasts six indoor inhalation booths designed for safety and efficiency. These booths are equipped with essential amenities and are structured to foster connections between users and healthcare services, advancing the overarching goal of engaging clients with the health system.

Currently, indoor supervised inhalation sites are uncommon across Canada, with only a few locations, like those in Victoria and Toronto, providing such services. The Vancouver city council's bylaw amendment aims to exempt the Hope to Health and another supportive housing site from existing smoking bans, facilitating the implementation of these necessary booths. The pilot program at the supportive housing site will evaluate the potential effectiveness of indoor inhalation setups while ensuring safety for both staff and residents, moving towards a more comprehensive approach to drug-related health crises.