THE CHIEF NEEDS THE FACTS

Now that Vernon White is Ottawa's chief constable, he needs to take a
close look at the city's crack-pipe program.

Chief White, sworn in Tuesday, is skeptical of the initiative that
offers clean crack-pipe mouthpieces to street addicts. Addicts with
cracked lips sharing dirty pipes can contract serious illnesses; a
$5,000-a-year program could save millions in health costs plus prevent
chronic illnesses in addicts who might recover.

The police's task is to enforce anti-drug laws, so an officer's
natural inclination is to make drug use as unpleasant as possible. To
object to the crack-pipe program on these grounds, though, assumes
that addicts won't smoke crack because they can't find clean pipes.
Addiction destroys this sort of rationality.

Empirical study has shown no increase in drug users in Ottawa since
the program began. Yes, more are smoking crack while fewer are
injecting drugs, and the crack problem has become newly visible, but
that's also coincided with a plunge in crack's price. Strict
enforcement, meanwhile, has not solved drug problems anywhere.

The chief is right that harm-reduction isn't enough, and Ottawa needs
more detoxification programs. A person who admits he or she needs
help, or has been ordered to get some, must be helped immediately.
Predatory dealers need to be arrested.

But Chief White's first move should be to get as much reliable
information as he can on the problem and its solutions, rather than
relying on his professional instincts.