COUNCILLORS SEEK NEW APPROACH ON ILLEGAL DRUGS

Motion Urges Integrated Strategy for Enforcement, Rehabilitation,
Education

A motion calling for an integrated strategy to deal with illegal drug
use was passed by the city's health committee yesterday.

The motion was made by Councillor Janet Stavinga, who said she wants
to overhaul the current approach. With drug enforcement,
rehabilitation and education operating in isolation of one another,
Ms. Stavinga wants to put the city in charge of the mission to curb
the rising number of Ottawa residents addicted to crack and other
illegal drugs.

"There needs to be an Ottawa-driven process," Ms. Stavinga said
yesterday. She said the city needs to "look at where the gaps are and
how we can better align resources to respond to the
challenges."

However, before any changes can take effect, the drug strategy has to
be ratified by city council next Wednesday.

There are between 3,000 and 5,000 injecting drug users in Ottawa.
After Vancouver, Ottawa has the second-highest rate in Canada of drug
users infected with HIV and hepatitis. About 21 per cent of Ottawa
drug users have HIV and 76 per cent have hepatitis C.

The committee's call for a new strategy comes two weeks after a public
battle between the city's chief medical officer and police Chief Vince
Bevan over the merits of Ottawa's crack pipe distribution program.

While Chief Bevan argued distributing free drug paraphernalia
encourages drug use, the committee voted to keep the program to reduce
transmission of disease among drug users.

But while council went against the chief's recommendations, Ms.
Stavinga felt the debate was positive, saying it highlighted the fact
it's time for Ottawa to draft its own approach to the rise in illegal
drug use and find a way to bring public health and enforcement
officials together.

An integrated drug strategy doesn't necessarily mean shifting the
focus away from police enforcement, said Ms. Stavinga. But she thinks
the city should become more proactive to prevent illegal drug use that
has been on the rise in recent years.

A new approach to Ottawa's drug problem could also involve changing
how money is spent and may involve putting more money toward curbing
illegal drug use, she said.

At least for now, it appears police are reserving judgement on an
integrated strategy.

Chief Bevan supports providing more options for drug rehabilitation
and treatment programs.

But until the city clearly defines who will be involved in its new
drug strategy and what programs will be developed, it will be unclear
what impact those new tactics could have, said Martin Champoux,
strategic support co-ordinator at Ottawa Police Services.

"It's better to have a holistic, a comprehensive look at the problem,
as opposed to just doing certain elements of it," Mr. Champoux said.

And while it's important for the city to address the drug problem from
all angles, he said a new strategy doesn't necessarily include being
any less vigorous with enforcement.

"We don't see that motion as saying we need to step away from police
funding. It's more of a motion talking about how we need to look at
the whole picture, not just parts of it," said Mr. Champoux.