RCMP CRITICIZE GIVING FREE PIPES TO ADDICTS ALONG SUNSHINE COAST

SECHELT - Sunshine Coast crack addicts are being offered free pipes in a
unique government-funded harm-reduction program that police believe is
sending the wrong message.

During the past six months, the Sunshine Coast Harm Reduction program has
distributed 400 safe-use crack kits, which include the materials to
construct a pipe, vitamins, condoms and educational materials.

In order to get a kit, users must answer a lifestyle survey that gives
front-line workers a better idea of who is using what and how often.

Tom Kelman, co-ordinator for the program, says he's trying to help a
hard-to-reach segment of the population.

"We're trying to promote safe health. ... Lots of crack users get mouth
sores. If they leave blood on the pipe, others are at risk. We're hoping
the program will prevent the spread of diseases like hepatitis C,
tuberculosis and HIV."

Although the glass pipes are locally made and drug and alcohol offenders
given community service work assemble the kits, Sechelt RCMP think the
program is promoting drug use.

"This isn't like the needle-exchange program," said RCMP Sgt. Danny Willis.
"Crack users will still share a pipe, because they are smoking one rock in
the pipe. Anything that advocates acceptability isn't warranted.

"There's a significant drug problem on the Sunshine Coast and more people
are using cocaine. We've already had a drug-related murder earlier this year."

Kelman agrees that the region has a huge drug scene.

"It's as easy to get dope here as it is to order a pizza," he said.

Coast Garibaldi chief medical health officer Dr. Paul Martiquet thinks the
harm-reduction program has merit, even if transmission statistics are are
sketchy.

"Disease transmission can occur; although it's rare to transmit hep C
through saliva, it has been documented," Martiquet said. "Blood
transmission from mouth ulcers is more likely and we do see increased rates
of hep C and TB in individuals who are HIV positive."

Kelman is also excited about a new Swiss harm-reduction program where
inhalation rooms have been opened for crack addicts, but he says it would
have to be proven and cost effective before he'd endorse a similar program
on the Sunshine Coast.

Martiquet added he would support similar inhalation rooms like safe
injection sites as long as they were part of an overall harm-reduction program.

Front-line worker Bill Astrope thinks that kind of supervised program would
have to be universal, otherwise you'd have users flocking to a few sites.

The Sunshine Coast needle-exchange program provides outreach services to
204 Sunshine Coast addicts, while in the first six months 92 crack users
were given pipe kits.