FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WON'T MOVE QUICKLY ON SAFE INJECTION SITES

OTTAWA (CP)- The federal government has no immediate plans to close
down Vancouver's safe injection site for heroin users, says a
spokesman for Health Minister Tony Clement.

Eric Waddell said the Conservative government is keeping an open mind
on the issue, and waiting for a study of the site's effectiveness due
this fall.

The position comes as a surprise since Conservative Leader Stephen
Harper was widely quoted during the election campaign as saying he
would scupper safe injection sites if elected.

"We want to see some sound evidence from this study before we make a
decision on whether to support keeping the sites open," said Waddell
in an interview Thursday.

" We're not going to take a reactionary stance on this thing."

Earlier this week Harper met with Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan, who
pressed him to maintain the program, which many addiction experts
want to see replicated in other parts of the country.