HARM REDUCTION DISCUSSED, STILL STUCK ALONG WITH THOSE IN
NEED

On Monday, May 4th, a public forum on the issue of harm reduction drug
policies in Abbotsford was held at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium
from 7-9:30 p.m.

The event was billed as "A Call to Action" yet was attended by very
few in the public. The majority of those present hailed from the
social service sector, with select members of City Council.

Harm reduction methods are seen in programs such as Insite, which
helps minimize the health and safety consequences associated with drug
addiction, while also reducing the amount of public disruption due to
drug use on the street.

While utilized in Vancouver, a city with many of Abbotsford's current
problems, these methods are hamstrung in Abbotsford due to a 2005
zoning by-law amendment banning "needle exchanges, safe-injection
sites, mobile dispensing vans, methadone treatment facilities and
other types or similar uses."

While many doubt and protest Insite's ability to help, it has the
backing of the scientific and medical community as seen in the
attendance of Dr. Daryl Plecas, Royal Canadian Mounted Police research
chair and chair of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice
at the University College of the Fraser Valley, who firmly propounded
Abbotsford's need for a needle exchange and safe injection site.

Others in attendance included Mayor Peary, who opened the forum, Bob
Rich, Abbotsford Police chief constable, Sherry Mumford, manager of
Fraser Health Regional Addictions, Leighton Johnston, Corrections
Services Canada, Parole, and Pam Willis, executive director, Women's
Resource Society of the Fraser Valley.

Chief Constable Rich agreed with Mayor Peary's sentiment that the time
has come for Abbotsford's problems to be addressed and stated the need
for more police training. He also shared enlightening statistics
indicating that one out of every five calls for Abbotsford patrol
police officers are a result of a mental health disorder, comparative
to one out of every three police calls in Vancouver.

Another comment of note came from Liz Evans, executive director,
Portland Hotel Society, an organization that provides permanent
accommodation for adults with drug addictions and mental illnesses
while also offering a variety of other support services such as
on-site nursing staff.

Evans, a nurse herself, has worked in the DTES for the last 18 years.
She expressed disbelief that such a by-law could exist, and spoke
about the four pillars: prevention, treatment, enforcement and harm
reduction. She opined that if harm reduction, a key pillar, was
missing from this equation, there was no point in moving forward.

While the by-law was the main focus, other obstacles discussed were
funding, training, and the need for public awareness, as seen in the
banner "A Call to Action."

No formal decisions were made on reversing the by-law.