SAFE-INJECTION SITE GETS LUKEWARM REVIEW

Tony Clement would not say yesterday whether he will keep open
Vancouver's controversial safe-injection site, but he stressed in an
interview that his government believes prevention, treatment and
enforcement are the keys to battling drug addiction.

The federal Health Minister also said advocates have given an overly
rosy picture of the Vancouver facility, which focuses on
"harm-reduction" by letting addicts shoot up and receive medical help
in a safe, clean environment.

An advisory committee report the minister commissioned offered a
"mixed" review of the InSite program, contrary to media reports and
comments from advocates that indicated the report was generally
favourable, Mr. Clement argued.

He also indicated that the government's new drug strategy is focused
on stopping drug use, rather than just ensuring it occurs in a safer
way.

"Our harm reduction is accomplished through enforcement, our harm
reduction is accomplished through prevention, our harm reduction is
accomplished through treatment," said Mr. Clement.

"The best way to reduce harm is to get addicts off drugs and to
provide the supports for that addict."

Nevertheless, a number of studies published in peer-reviewed medical
journals since the InSite program opened in 2003 have touted its
benefits, ranging from preventing overdose deaths to curbing needle
sharing and encouraging addicts to seek treatment.

Mr. Clement offered his comments a day after Neil Boyd, a B. C.
criminologist who did research for the advisory committee, told a news
conference in Ottawa that InSite has been a success that should be
expanded.

The minister's office also referred a reporter to the head of the
Vancouver Police Union, one of the few outspoken critics of InSite
within the B. C. law-enforcement community.

It all comes on the eve of the June 30 deadline to decide whether the
government will extend the supervised-injection facility's exemption
from the Criminal Code, which it requires if it is to stay in operation.

Asked if he was laying the groundwork for a negative decision, the
Minister said, "I really can't confirm that."

Mark Townsend, one of the administrators of InSite, said yesterday
that Conservative attempts to tamp down positive reports on the
facility are a sign they are "desperate."

Philosophical objections to the program on the part of Stephen Harper,
the Prime Minister, appear to be behind the government's reluctance to
support it, he said.

"Tony Clement, I reckon, wants the thing to go on," said Mr. Townsend.
"But there are problems in the Prime Minister's Office -- that's what
we keep hearing."

The advisory committee appointed by Mr. Clement released its report
last month after analyzing previous research.

The group said the program appeared to have saved an average of one
life a year by intervening in overdoses, reduced needle sharing that
can transmit HIV and other dangerous viruses, and paid for itself
through savings elsewhere.

It said users of the service were more likely to seek treatment, but
noted the data on HIV rate reductions -- and resulting health-care
cost savings -- was based on debatable assumptions.

InSite has not led to an increase in crime in its neighbourhood.
However, it accounted for less than 5% of drug injections in
Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, the report said.

Tom Stamatakis, president of the Vancouver Police Union and an advisor
to Mr. Clement on drug policy, said the focus on InSite has meant too
little effort has gone into rehabilitation of heroin addicts.