CITY TO LIMIT DRUG TREATMENT SITES

Abbotsford council is planning to use zoning bylaw amendments to limit drug
treatment-related sites in Abbotsford. The proposal was presented by city
staff at Monday's meeting as the only mechanism available to the city to
limit "lawful use" permit applications.

"There are some uses that are not going to be welcome in our city," said
Coun. Simon Gibson. "I consider 'needle exchange' as being a misnomer. It's
a magnet."

Gibson said 'exchange' implies that one must give a needle to get a needle.
Instead, he said, exchanges simply become a supplier of needles, with no
guarantee that they won't be used over and over.

Coun. Patricia Ross agreed, saying she had toured the Surrey needle
exchange and was shocked at what she saw.

"It looked like a war zone ... I don't want to see that in our community."
Coun. Chuck Wiebe described needle exchanges as "a pusher's dream."

Earlier this month, Gibson had suggested that a moratorium be placed on
accepting applications for "drug treatment related uses" pending a study
currently under way by a special committee of the House of Commons on
non-medical drug use and background reports by city staff.

He said concerns that the moratorium would affect the creation of a detox
centre are unfounded. Instead, needle exchanges, safe injection sites, and
mobile needle and drug units are the target of the proposed plan.

Council was in agreement that a detox centre was badly needed in the Fraser
Valley area, and warned that opening the door to other types of drug
treatment or harm reduction, such as the exchanges, would be letting the
province "off the hook" when it comes to the proposed detox.

Langley-Abbotsford MP Randy White is heading the special committee in the
House of Commons that is studying non-medical drug use and treatment in
Canada. A final report is expected no later than June 2002.