OFFICIALS CONSIDER DRUG TREATMENT AND CLEAN NEEDLES UNDER THE SAME ROOF

Mixing The Two Is 'Absolutely Insane,' Addiction Recovery Expert Says

Drug users could be offered addiction treatment and clean needles
under the same roof in a proposal being considered by the Vancouver
Island Health Authority.

The authority is looking at using its addiction outpatient treatment
office in downtown Victoria as a site for distributing hypodermic
needles and other paraphernalia for illegal drug use, such as crack
pipes and sterile swabs.

It's an idea the executive director of Cedars, a Victoria addiction
recovery centre in, calls "absolutely insane."

"I can't imagine anybody would have such poor insight as to think
that's a reasonable thing to do," said Neal Berger, noting that at
Cedars, staff have to be careful about even showing a movie featuring
drug use. Even a flu shot can become a trigger point for a recovering addict.

"Just the sight of a needle, just the thought of it. ... [Addiction]
is a brain disease and the brain starts playing tricks on people."

According to the health authority's website, the addiction outpatient
office offers counselling and consultation on a drop-in basis most
weekdays for addicts looking for help to get off drugs.

VIHA spokeswoman Suzanne Germain said the office is just one of 60
sites being considered across the Island for distributing needles.

A decision on which sites will offer the supplies will be made in
late June or early July.

The rationale behind offering clean needles to addicts is that it
reduces the spread of infectious diseases, such as AIDS or hepatitis
C, through the sharing of needles.

Germain said the addiction outpatient office could be exempted from
distributing needles if a case can be made that the two functions are
not compatible. "There is that process in place."

The health authority has a long history of problems implementing its
harm-reduction strategy.

A needle exchange in Victoria closed in 2008 after repeated
complaints from neighbours about public disturbances and hazards.

Proposals for needle-distribution sites at other locations were also
spiked, amid community outrage.