FEDS TURN TO EUROPE FOR ADVICE ON DRUGS

Tories Seeing How Swedes, Danes Deal With Druggies

Federal Health Minister Tony Clement appears to be looking for advice
from Sweden before his government decides whether to kill Insite,
Canada's only safe-injection site.

The Swedish Embassy in Ottawa has confirmed Clement was to meet
Sweden's drug policy co-ordinator, Bjorn Fries, in Stockholm yesterday.

Clement was also to meet with the director of European Cities Against
Drugs, described on its website as "Europe's leading organization
promoting a drug-free Europe."

"He got . . . almost three hours on drug policies but not really
harm-reduction issues because that is not what we do in Sweden," said
a Swedish Embassy official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"We don't really do that," said the official, referring to
safe-injection sites like Vancouver's Insite facility.

European Cities Against Drugs, backed by 245 signatory municipalities
in 27 countries, appears to be opposed to safe-injection sites.

The Swedish official said the organization is focusing on "a sort of
rehabilitation-diversion program" as an alternative to safe-injection
sites.

Insite will close Sept. 12 unless Ottawa renews an exemption that
allows illegal drugs to be administered at the facility. The Province
has learned that Health Canada is supporting the renewal of the
exemption, but the final decision is up to cabinet.

Clement's office this week told The Province he was heading to Denmark
and Sweden, but did not respond to questions about whether he would be
looking into drug issues.

Sweden has experimented with needle exchanges but has not tried a
safe-injection program.

Mark Townsend of the PHS Community Services Society, which operates
Insite, said Clement may be "clutching around" for a policy to appeal
to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who has expressed concerns about
taxpayer support for drug use.

"The bottom line with the safe-injection site [is] the science is in,
Health Canada is recommending it, the police are recommending it, the
RCMP are recommending it," said Townsend. "[Harper] can try and invent
a world that's flat, but unfortunately it's round and he is going to
have to face that."

Clement arrived in Stockholm yesterday after spending Tuesday and
Wednesday in Copenhagen.