DRUG CRIME KNOWS NO BORDERS

Tackling Greater Vancouver's drug problem requires a regional
approach, a GVRD-led forum on drugs and crime heard Monday.

Tom Hetherington, addiction services manager for the Pacific Community
Resources Society, was among presenters who warned that local plans
are often uncoordinated.

"Problematic substance use crosses municipal boundaries - all people
are impacted by it," he said later.

"If one was to put a lot of pressure on the Downtown Eastside, those
people will move somewhere. They may move to New Westminster or
Burnaby or Surrey."

Coordination is particularly important in offering treatment and
prevention, he said.

But Hetherington said attempts for regional action on drug abuse have
failed before.

The last time was in 2002, he said, when some city councils feared a
Vancouver-style "four pillars" approach - particularly the harm
prevention components like safe injection sites and needle exchanges -
would be exported around the region.

"That seems to be a hot button issue," Hetherington
said.

"The communities who weren't in favour may have slowed that
down."

His own definition of harm reduction includes abstinence, which he
said is the best form.

Pacific Community Resources is a Surrey-based, front-line agency which
works with addicts from Delta to Chilliwack and Langley to Maple Ridge.

Hetherington said needle exchanges in particular offer "enormous"
health benefits.

"It's keeping people alive," he said.

"The people who are addicted are not going to stop because we don't
give them clean needles."

Dave Park, chief economist for Vancouver Board of Trade, said measures
to stem crime can't be ignored.

He said estimated cost of property crime in Vancouver in 2004 was $130
million.

"Almost all crime is directly linked to drugs," he
said.

"Maybe we should be looking at a regulatory approach rather than a
prohibition approach."

Chronic criminals should face stiffer sentences to deter others, he
said.

Park said society must seize on the young years of an addict's life to
change behaviour, before patterns get entrenched.

Hetherington also said more must be done to encourage the vast
majority of youth who don't use hard drugs.

His message to parents and teachers: Reward positive behaviour - don't
take it for granted.

"It's so easy to catch kids not doing things right," he
said.

"Catch them doing something right and tell them."

The forum was the latest of a series being held by the GVRD downtown
at the Wosk Centre For Dialogue as part of its Sustainable Region
Initiative.