DOCTOR CALLS FOR FREE HEROIN FOR ADDICTS

VANCOUVER - A renowned AIDS doctor wants Vancouver's supervised
drug-injection facility to become home to North America's first free
heroin distribution centre.

In a news conference celebrating the Supreme Court decision Friday to
keep the drug-injection facility Insite open, renowned AIDS doctor
Julio Montaner called for expansion of its services to include the
distribution of heroin.

"If you know what people are injecting, it will be much safer," said
Montaner. "I see this as the very next question we have to wrestle
with. It is question about when and how we are able to embrace it for
implementation."

"(The RCMP) actually indicated to me that they would be a lot more
comfortable if we would had have fully medically supervised dispensing
and supervision of the drugs."

Vancouver police clinical trials conducted at the University of
British Columbia, and shut down by the Conservative government, have
found providing clean drugs to users cuts down on the open-market drug
trade and the spread of disease.

Experts at the supervised injection site said it is impossible to
check and see if the drugs brought into the clinic are clean.

The proponents of Insite call the Supreme Court ruling a "victory of
science over ideology."

"How would you like to be told by the Supreme Court of Canada that you
were unconstitutional? This looks like my sixth grade teacher saying I
am out of order and you have to comply with the order of the court,"
said Montaner.

Hundreds of supporters of Insite packed in front of the facility early
Friday morning to watch the Supreme Court decision on a large screen.
Chants rang out after Portland Hotel Society -- which operates the
facility -- executive Liz Evans declared Insite had won.

The decision from Canada's highest court also clears the way for the
introduction of a smoke inhalation room where people could use crack.

Insite's current location in the city's Downtown Eastside
neighbourhood already has the capability to expand the services to
offer more ways for addicts to consume their drugs.

"It opens up the door for us to explore more treatment options
acknowledging that is approach is legitimate," said Evans. "It just
means that we can continue to be creative."

Vancouver's facility may not be the only one expanding. The lawyer on
Insite's case said the ruling has sent a clear message that more
cities could open up similar clinics for harm reduction.

"There is no reason to think that the government can deny exceptions
to other Insites across Canada if the facility is operated in the same
way," said lawyer Joe Arvay.