CITY TAKES FIRST STEPS TOWARD DRUG STRATEGY

EDMONTON - Promoting a new united front against drug problems among the
city's youth, the mayor, the police and Capital Health took the first steps
towards a community drug strategy on Tuesday.

Those involved promised the final plan will emphasize a wide collaborative
effort and end in concrete action instead of mere study.

A day-long workshop to blueprint the strategy will be held on Sept. 22 with
200 delegates, including police, legal authorities, social workers, city
councilors, health-care providers, business people and youth groups. That
workshop will focus on prevention, treatment, enforcement and harm
reduction.

"It's not just enough to talk about it, it's not just enough to produce a
brochure, it's not just enough to have a workshop," said Robert Ritter,
co-chair of the drug strategy committee and member of the Edmonton Catholic
school board. "Those are all steps, but the steps have to clearly lead
towards solutions, and solutions are action, they're innovative strategies."

The committee was struck in December 2003, a few weeks after Mayor Bill
Smith warned drug dealers and users to leave the city.

The city has had 14 fatal drug-related shootings since 2002.