LATEST DRUG-FIGHTING SCHEME SEEMS ONLY A SHORT-TERM FIX

Few dispute that the harm caused by drug addiction, especially in
Vancouver's crime-ravaged Downtown Eastside, has reached intolerable
levels -- and that bold, innovative approaches are needed to tackle
the problem.

That us why we view with keen interest the news that Vancouver Mayor
Sam Sullivan is promoting an ambitious plan to give substitute drugs
to hundreds of cocaine and crystal-meth addicts, and is seeking an
exemption from Canada's drug laws to make this possible.

The exemption would be similar to that given for the operation of
Insite, Vancouver's so-called safe-injection site.

And from the narrow perspective of reducing the short-term harm caused
by a particular group of cocaine and meth addicts, it might work --
depending, of course, on the efficacy of the substitute drugs.

The Tory government, however, is clearly not enamoured with this
harm-reduction approach, as it has shown by the doubts it has raised
about Insite's usefulness.

Besides, simply keeping addicts on drugs, whether illegal ones or
legal substitutes, is likely not the best solution in the long run,
either for the overall community or for the addicts themselves.

The option that is clearly preferable is to get them off drugs
altogether (either voluntarily or compulsorily), so they can lead
normal, productive lives.

And that is where our politicians, medical professionals and other
community leaders should be starting to put far more emphasis.