NEW 'CRACK KIT' STRATEGY COMING

The Vancouver Island Health Authority misstepped by not first
consulting with Nanaimo city council before distributing safer crack
kits, said the area's chief medical health officer.

Dr. Richard Stanwick appeared before council Monday, explaining
VIHA's harm reduction strategy that saw nurses working with the
mental health and addictions program distributing safer crack kits to
Nanaimo's street drug users.

The kits include a crack pipe, rubber mouth piece, condom, screens
and chewing gum.

Residents and city officials learned of the program in May aE" five
months after it began.

Complaints arose from residents neighbouring the downtown area and
city council requested a meeting to learn more about harm reduction
strategies.

The program was temporarily halted due to reports of harassment of
nurses.

And while Stanwick apologized for not coming to elected officials
first, he said VIHA does not have the luxury of deciding who to treat
and not to treat.

"Whether you're resident in [the intensive care unit] or a street
corner person, you get the best health care we can provide," he said.

"We have to remain blind to a person being the most affluent or the
poorest in the community,"

Stanwick said harm reduction is about keeping people safe and
minimizing death, disease and injury associated with high risk behaviour.

He said society practises many forms of harm reduction, including
wearing seatbelts, helmets, campaigns against drunk driving, smoking
restrictions and using condoms to prevent sexually transmitted
infections or unwanted pregnancies.

"This council practised harm reductions by setting a minimum price on
drinks in drinking establishments," he said.

Anya Nimmon, VIHA communications officer, said VIHA and the city will
likely meet in October to develop a process for a new harm reduction
strategy and determine what stakeholder groups should be involved.

Mayor Gary Korpan said he was appreciative of both the presentation
and VIHA's willingness to involve affected neighbourhoods.

"The neighbourhood association in that area has some particular
questions which still need to be answered," he said.

"We are prepared to discuss harm reduction but not just with regard
to drug takers, but methods of reducing the risk to the innocent
bystanders, business owners and residents of an area where this
demand occurs."

James Younger, co-chairman of the Neighbours of Nob Hill community
association, said the group cannot support the haphazard approach
originally taken by VIHA.

He said distributing crack kits increases the risk to the community
through break and enters, increased drug use and prostitution.

"We have residents fearing to walk down Victoria Crescent and others
admitting to carrying weapons for protection," he said. "We are
looking for harm reduction for residents as well as drug users."