START PRESCRIBING HEROIN TO ADDICTS NOW TO REDUCE CRIME, NPA COUNCILLOR SAYS

VANCOUVER - NPA Coun. Sam Sullivan wants the federal government to ditch
the heroin maintenance trials and simply start prescribing the drug to
addicts throughout the city.

Sullivan said the sooner the government dispenses heroin, the sooner crime
such as break-ins caused by addicts will decrease in Vancouver.

"Right now, we have a trial, and I understand this is a proper way to go
about this, but personally, I question why we need a trial. We know it
works. It's been tried in Europe."

Sullivan said the city needs an aggressive harm reduction strategy,
especially in drug maintenance. The North American Opiate Medication
Initiative, commonly known as the NAOMI trials, began in Vancouver earlier
this month.

A select group of heroin addicts began receiving government-prescribed
heroin or methadone March 14 as part of a one-year trial. Similar studies
will occur in Toronto and Montreal this year.