OFF THE CRACK PIPES

Council Kills 'Stupid' Program; Doc Warns Of HIV Toll

Council has snuffed out Ottawa's hotly debated crack pipe program.

College Coun. Rick Chiarelli, who introduced the controversial motion
to axe the program, said supplying paraphernalia enabling addicts to
smoke up sends a mixed message.

"We are spending tax dollars on apprehending the drug users, then
spending more dollars on delivering crack pipes to the users,"
Chiarelli said. "It's one of the most ironic mixed messages a
municipal government could send. It's just stupid. It's not the way
you spend tax dollars."

He said the program, which began in April 2005 and cost the city
$8,000 a year, is not proven to help addicts.

The program was defeated in a 15-7 vote.

Dr. David Salisbury, the city's medical officer of health, argued
that handing out pipes -- as part of the city's integrated drug
strategy -- might not curb habits, but prevents the spread of HIV.

"It's preventing communicable disease transmission," he said. "It is
effective and preventing people from getting infected. If we can't
control it, it will affect us. The disease is untreatable and is deadly."

Salisbury expects an increase in the number of HIV and hepatitis C
cases. He told council the pipe program prevents up to 12 people a
year from contracting HIV, noting it costs $600,000 to treat an
infected patient.

Capital Coun. Clive Doucet said the program was financially responsible.

"It sounds like a pretty good deal to me," said Doucet.

Montreal, Toronto, Guelph, Winnipeg and Vancouver have similar programs.

STUDY PLAN

The city's community and protective services committee had
recommended to council it spend $500,000 to study the effectiveness
of the pipe program.

Orleans Coun. Bob Monette said it was about time council dealt with
the issue of handing out free crack pipes. He realizes there is a
drug problem but would like to see the city's money spent on building
a treatment centre.

"We need to encourage people on the street to seek treatment," he
said. "The (pipe) program doesn't cost a lot, but I'm strictly
opposed to the principle. Let's stop this ridiculousness."

Coun. Diane Deans said cancelling the program is premature and
council should have allowed the study to proceed so council had
complete information before it made a decision.

Mayor Larry O'Brien, who campaigned on cancelling the program, was
happy with the vote.

"Giving out loot bags of crack pipe packages to facilitate the use of
a tool that can lead people to this lifestyle is not appropriate,"
said O'Brien. "It's foolishness."

O'Brien plans to lobby the province to fund a 40-bed treatment centre
in the city and amend legislation that mandates Ottawa to provide a
needle exchange program.

O'Brien wants the needle program to be voluntary.