CRACK PIPE GIVEAWAY GRABS COUNCIL'S ATTENTION

NANAIMO - City council was shocked to learn this week that nurses
have been handing out crack pipes to drug users.

Mayor Gary Korpan said council wants the Vancouver Island Health
Authority to explain this distribution of paraphernalia, which has
been going on for nearly five months.

"Council quite clearly indicated at the meeting ... we thought it was
inappropriate for that to be done without consultation," he said.

Council has called on the health authority's CEO, Howard Waldner, to
explain who started the program, and why it was done.