B.C. INJECTION SITE RISKS OFFENDING WORLD: REPORT

OTTAWA - The federal government concluded that the risk of offending
the international community by keeping open Vancouver's supervised
injection site for drug addicts had more serious consequences than
closing the facility over the objections of the B.C. government,
according to internal documents obtained by The Vancouver Sun.

One Health Canada document, which describes and evaluates the risks
associated with both options, also warned that refusal to extend
Insite's licence would simply result in the opening of an illegal
facility doing the same thing.

With considerable risks inherent with either choice, Prime Minister
Stephen Harper's government -- asked to extend the permit by up to
five years -- found a middle ground in August by extending the
facility's permit only until the end of this year.

The government also refused to renew the $1.5-million in research
funding provided by the former Liberal government when it opened for
a three-year trial in 2003. The Harper government has criticized
"harm reduction" measures such as the Insite program, which focuses
on reducing the risk of overdoses and HIV infection rates among
hardcore addicts.

The facility provides clean needles, a safe place to shoot up, a
referral service for addicts seeking treatment and staff available in
the event of an overdose.

The April 26, 2006, analysis lists seven risks facing the government
if it extends the permit allowing the Insite facility to operate, and
six risks if the government denies the application.

Each risk is given a "likelihood rating" and a separate "consequence
rating" from one to five. Both numbers are multiplied to indicate the
overall risk rating.

"Negative reaction/criticism from the international community" was
given a likelihood ranking of five, the highest score, and a
consequence rating of three, for a total score of 15 -- the second
highest of the nine identified risks in extending Insite's permit.

The highest ranking, with a score of 20, related to the expected
demand for renewed research funding for Insite if the permit is
extended, along with additional demands for research funds for other
injection sites that might appear elsewhere in Canada.

Risks cited in the report included "negative reaction/criticism from
domestic stakeholders such as the police," which got a total score of five.

Among the risks associated with killing Insite, Health Canada
expressed its greatest concern that the government would lose access
to evidence that could be used for "decisions on programs of this
nature in the future." That received the highest possible score of 25.

The federal budget last week committed $64-million over two years to
fund a renewed National Anti-Drug Strategy, which already receives
$385-million a year. The new money will be used to combat illicit
drug production, use and dependency, and will not be used for harm
reduction initiatives.

Researchers with the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/ AIDS have
criticized the Harper government, accusing it of taking an
"ideological" U.S.-style war on drugs approach rather than consider
evidence that suggests Insite is effective.

The head of the United Nations' drug control agency, the
International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), criticized the
government earlier this month for "encouraging illicit trafficking"
by allowing Insite to operate legally.

The INCB and U.S. President George W. Bush's administration have led
the international battle against harm reduction initiatives.