HIV SPREADS WHILE OTTAWA PONDERS DRUG POLICY

Critics: Health Canada Slow In Response To Call For Changes

OTTAWA - A federally funded research organization has criticized Health
Canada for its "vague" response to a report that recommends radical changes
to Canada's drug polices in order to reduce HIV and AIDS.

In 1999, the Canadian HIV/ AIDS Legal Network released a report
commissioned by Health Canada that said HIV and AIDS is a crisis among
injection drug users. It said Canada's drug policies make the problem worse
by criminalizing drug use and forcing users to hide their addiction, share
needles and avoid medical help.

The report recommended sweeping changes to Canadian drug policies, such as
the establishment of safe injection sites, medical prescriptions for heroin
and cocaine, and the decriminalization of small amounts of illegal drugs
for personal use.

Yesterday, after almost two years, Health Canada released a response to the
report.

It acknowledges injection drug use is a "health and social issue" and says
changes are needed to existing legal and policies. But Health Canada's
response does not take a stand on some of the report's specific
recommendations, such as permitting physicians to prescribe heroin and
cocaine to AIDS patients suffering from withdrawal.

"What they've done in the response is make lots of really good statements
and acknowledgements, but it is not a plan and there is no timeline," said
Ralph Jurgens, executive director of the HIV/ AIDS Legal Network.

Mr. Jurgens did praise Allan Rock, federal Minister of Health, for
addressing injection drug use as a health issue. He said the Minister is
using language that suggests drug addicts are people with medical problems,
not criminals.

But he said the department needs to back up this language with policies
that end the criminalization of drug use.

Nina Arron, a policy co-ordinator in the HIV/AIDS division of Health
Canada, defended her department's response.

She said Health Canada is willing to consider alternative policies to help
drug addicts, such as safe injection sites and prescribing controlled
substances, but she said completing the necessary research takes a long time.

"We're not running away from it, maybe moving a little slower than the
Legal Network and others would like."

But Eugene Oscapella, an Ottawa lawyer and co-founder of the Canadian
Foundation for Drug Policy, said the government's slow pace is costing drug
addicts their lives. "There are programs right now that are ready to go.
Safe injection sites, heroin maintenance programs -- we need these programs
now."