DOSANJH REJECTS MDS DRUG-TREATMENT IDEA

It would be better to treat drug addicts by expanding the methadone program
than by offering them heroin and cocaine, Attorney General Ujjal Dosanjh
said Wednesday.

The Health Officers Council of B.C., a group of about 20 doctors responsible
for controlling outbreaks of communicable diseases, has asked the province
to fund a trial allowing them to prescribe heroin, cocaine and other drugs
to addicts.

The group of doctors, who are concerned about the infection rate of AIDS and
hepatitis C among injection drug users, also wants the federal government to
amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to make the drugs available.

But Dosanjh said B.C. has only about 3,000 people on the methadone treatment
program and its full potential has not yet been explored.

"The only place where there have been heroin trials has been Switzerland and
there have been mixed reviews of that. There is no clinical evidence that
this works," he said.

It is also important not to send mixed messages about drugs to children and
youth, Dosanjh said. "It's not OK to take drugs and we need to send that
message."


Checked-by: Melodi Cornett