SAFE INJECTION SITES NOT FOR EDMONTON

Injection drug use is a problem in Edmonton, but the city is not prepared
to open a supervised injection site like Vancouver, says a visiting
Edmonton police officer.

Supt. Thomas Grue, who is in Vancouver this week as part of the Canadian
Association of Chiefs of Police conference, said Vancouver's unprecedented
implementation of an injection site has inspired Edmonton community groups
to pressure police and politicians for a site in the city.

"Different parts of the community support a safe injection site, but I
would suggest to you that the predominant feeling in the community is that
they're against it because it doesn't attend to their concerns about the
crime that results from drug addiction," said Grue, the Edmonton Police
Service's commander of that city's downtown core.

Grue said police are focused on cleaning up Edmonton's crystal
methamphetamine problem, which has eclipsed cocaine and heroin use.

"By some accounts, it's an epidemic. We have a lot of kids who have
basically ruined their lives on meth, they've become addicted and have
taken to turning to crime to fund their habit. It's no different than
heroin, in many respects, but it's just a different drug."

Next month, Vancouver's Insite injection site on East Hastings will
celebrate its first anniversary serving injection drug users, who buy
illegal heroin and cocaine on the street and then legally inject it at the
site. It's the only injection site in North America and was opened despite
opposition from various business groups, the RCMP and some Vancouver police
officers.

Many local police still won't talk about the site on the record, and
neither will many visiting police chiefs, including Cape Breton Regional
Police Service Chief Edgar MacLeod, who is president of the national
chiefs' association. "That's a decision that was made out here in this
community based on what they think is relevant to their situation," MacLeod
told the Courier Monday from the Trade and Convention Centre. "Hopefully,
that will work for this community."

MacLeod said Cape Breton has a growing problem with prescription drug
abuse. A resolution to be considered by police chiefs this week asks the
federal government and the pharmaceutical industry to "prevent the further
diversion of prescription drugs to the illicit drug trade." In an
accompanying fact sheet to the resolution, prepared by the chiefs' drug
abuse committee, it notes eight of 20 sudden deaths in Cape Breton are
linked to oxycodone (brand name Oxycontin) abuse.

The drug of choice at Vancouver's injection site is 40 per cent cocaine, 40
per cent heroin, with morphine, prescription drugs and crystal
methamphetamine comprise the remaining 20 per cent. Seventy-four per cent
of clients are male, and 26 per cent female, according to statistics from
the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, whose website no longer indicates
number of daily visits. A short message on its website says it "continues
to serve a steady stream of clients," and notes statistics related to use
will be presented shortly with the release of data by a research team.

Chiefs attending this week's conference will also consider several
resolutions related to marijuana growing operations, including urging the
federal minister of health, in conjunction with police, to conduct a
scientific study on health hazards found at grow-op sites.