VICTORIA ENCOURAGED TO ACT NOW ON HARM-REDUCTION FOR DRUG USERS

Stand united; don't wait for consensus.

This is the way forward when it comes to contentious harm reduction
services, such as a fixed needle exchange site or a safe injection site.

Donald MacPherson, Vancouver's former drug policy co-ordinator,
brought his message to Victoria city council recently.

"Time is marching on. To do nothing is not an option," said MacPherson.

Vancouver boasts a successful distributed model, where drug users can
access clean needles at multiple public health units, as well as
Canada's first supervised injection site. MacPherson warned
councillors against spending the time to get a consensus before
making a decision.

"There will always be a portion of the community who will oppose
(harm reduction services)," he said.

The key is to have a strategy in place to mitigate fears, he said.

Victoria, he acknowledged, suffers from the baggage left behind from
the old fixed-site needle exchange on Cormorant Street. The service
was widely condemned for bringing chaos to the neighbourhood and was
shut down in May 2008. Since then, the Vancouver Island Health
Authority has been searching for a new location. Two possibilities
have fallen through.

MacPherson put some of the responsibility on the city. A fixed-site
needle exchange, he said, needs commitment from a united front,
including the health authority, the police and the city. When
contentious issues arise, these community leaders need to stand side
by side, he said.

Coun. Pam Madoff said without a safe injection site, a needle
exchange service will send drug users "to the nearest dark corner" to shoot up.

How can the community have confidence with this model? Madoff asked.

"As long as people cannot inject in a safe, supervised place, you're
stuck," MacPherson said.