NEW PLAN TO FIGHT DRUGS

Toronto May Adopt Policy Similar To Vancouver's

Vancouver's mayor gave Toronto's new drug strategy a shot in the arm,
saying it will make this city healthier.

"Don't be afraid of this," said Larry Campbell, a former police
officer, coroner, outgoing mayor of Vancouver and new senator. "It's
not written in stone. You can change it. But you will see benefits."

Toronto's proposed drug strategy, passed unanimously by the policy
and finance committee yesterday, has 66 broad-ranging recommendations.

They go from support for decriminalizing small amounts of pot for
personal use to providing crack kits as part of the city's harm
reduction plan to investigating opening safe consumption sites.

The plan is built on four principles: prevention, treatment, harm
reduction and enforcement.

"The price of doing nothing is to continue on with deaths, to
continue on with violence, to continue on needlessly watching our
young people ruin their lives," Campbell said.

"If you're a politician of faint heart this is not the area you want
to be going into," Campbell said. "If you're a visionary and really
want to help your city ... this is where you should be going."

The strategy goes to council next month for approval.

Drug Strategy Recommendations

Toronto's drug strategy listed some of its 66 recommendations as priorities:

- - Establish a committee to implement the drug strategy and then
provide start-up staff.

- - Expand programs for families and youth.

- - Limit bars in neighbourhoods.

- - Develop a model for a 24-hour crisis centre.

- - Campaign for more treatment services.

- - Get more addiction services in jails and prisons.

- - Work with neighbourhoods.

- - Provide better information on where to go for help.

- - Study the feasibility of a supervised site for drug use.