PROVINCE TO CREATE SAFE HOUSES FOR DRUG USERS

MONTREAL -- Quebec's Ministry of Health and Social Services says its
working to create safe-havens for intravenous drug users. Junior minister
Agnes Maltais announced plans to build supervised centres were severely
addicted users can inject safely.

Addicts would bring their drugs to the centre, where they could get
counselling and drug purity tests.

Maltais says it's time to start treating the global problem of drug
addiction, including the social problems that cause people to take up the
habit.

She says the ministry was prompted to make the move after listening to
requests from addictions counsellors.

There's no time-line for when the centres will be set-up.