POLICE UNION CALLS MAYOR'S PROPOSED CRACK COCAINE DEN 'BEYOND RIDICULOUS'

Mayor Larry Campbell and the Vancouver Police Union are at loggerheads over
his plan to expand the city's safe injection-site to include crack cocaine
addicts.

"I don't know why they would be upset about that and fully supportive of
supervised injection sites," Campbell said. "We are taking the people off
the street that they have to deal with as a nuisance and we are trying to
get them help, so it's no different."

Union president Tom Stamatakis said although there were an average of 600
injections a day at the safe site in its first year, and 107 overdoses
prevented, police see little evidence that the number of people shooting up
in back alleys is going down.

"It's beyond ridiculous to now contemplate setting up a den for crack
cocaine smokers when you consider that it is one of the most addictive and
devastating drugs available today, whose profiteers are organized
criminals," said Stamatakis. "If this proposal goes ahead, it will simply
enable addicts to continue using harmful drugs and not escape the vicious
cycle of drug abuse and crime.

"The harm-reduction model was supposed to result in fewer substance abuse
deaths, a reduction in costs to the economy, better prevention initiatives
and the promotion of rehabilitation options but these things have just not
happened.

"Why would (Campbell) think that setting up safe cocaine smoking dens would
work any better?"

Proponents of the crack smoking room argue it would provide access to safe
pipes and mouthpieces which would reduce transmission of diseases like
hepatitis and HIV.

The safe-injection site at Hastings and Main has had a new ventilation
system installed in preparation for use by crack addicts. The crack room
needs approval from Health Canada.

Campbell vowed to pursue the expansion. ". . . if we get the legal go-ahead
then we'll do it."