Ottawa public health

Online/New Media by rochekellyApril 14, 2012April 15, 2012

Needle hunting season

Ottawa Public Health officials insist steps are being taken to clean up discarded drug paraphernalia after dirty needles were recently dumped in a Byward Market restaurant toilet and a six-year-old boy was pricked in Carlington. “Every time we talk to someone who’s using drugs, we counsel them about safe disposal of their equipment,” said associate […]

Online/New Media by rochekellyApril 12, 2012April 15, 2012

Injection sites a junkie’s dream

Supervised injection sites enable addicts and will bring more drugs into the city via ‘no-go’ zones where drug laws won’t be enforced, says the co-founder of Safer Ottawa. Chris Grinham, who helps clean up spent drug paraphernalia cleanup in Lowertown, predicts a five-block radius will be filled with dealers, who’ll start carrying a low supply. […]

Online/New Media by rochekellyFebruary 11, 2012February 12, 2012

City probing hookah health risk

The public health department plans to test air quality in hookah bars this year to see if there is a health risk. Restaurant owner Charbel Karakouzian finds the idea amusing. “If they’re talking about air quality, go stand (at the) Rideau Centre where we have the city buses killing people from the smoke coming out […]

Online/New Media by rochekellyFebruary 11, 2012February 12, 2012

Hookah crackdown too much: Owner

SEE VIDEO http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/02/11/hookah-crackdown-too-much-owner A downtown business owner says the public health department’s crackdown on tobacco is warranted, but not if it’s intended to stop all forms of smoking. “I think they’re going a step too far. It’s becoming Communist within a country like Canada,” said Charbel Karakouzian. He co-owns the Garlic Corner shawarma restaurant in […]

Online/New Media by rochekellyNovember 15, 2011November 15, 2011

Ottawa looks to Big Apple for condom strategy

SEE VIDEO http://www.ottawasun.com/2011/11/15/ottawa-looks-to-big-apple-for-condom-strategy Ottawa Public Health is drawing inspiration from New York City’s free condom program to curb the rise of sexually transmitted infections. “We want condoms to be as accessible as possible,” said sexual health program manager Andrew Hendriks. Ottawa has higher rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, and syphilis compared to the rest of […]

Online/New Media by rochekellyJanuary 11, 2011August 4, 2011

Province kicks in $2M for dental help

SEE VIDEO http://www.ottawasun.com/news/ottawa/2011/01/11/16849516.html Ottawa Public Health is getting two million dollars from the province’s Healthy Smiles program. That means up to 10,000 local children from low-income families can access free dental care at public clinics. And that’s good news to people who consider visiting the dentist a luxury. “I really need to clean my teeth […]