NO QUICK FIX TO DRUG CRISIS

Committee Calls For Costly Independent Review

The city has declared war on drugs, but first it wants to study its
battle plan.

City police, the community and protective services committee and
several social agencies have decided to work together to produce an
independent report on how to deal with the city's drug and alcohol
crisis.

Yesterday, the committee heard from police and city staff that more
than 30,000 Ottawa residents have a substance abuse problem with an
impact of about $625 million on the local economy. They say the lack
of drug addiction treatment facilities and other appropriate services
are responsible for the growing problem.

"People can't get treatment," said deputy city manager Steve
Kanellakos, who delivered the information to committee members. "It's
a disgrace."

Kanellakos said the province has ceased negotiations with the city,
which was interested in purchasing a former provincial correctional
facility at Burritts Rapids. Anyone seeking residential addictions
treatment has to travel 19 hours to a facility in Northern Ontario.

Kanellakos said the city has to demand more money from the province to
help Ottawa residents.

The city's medical officer of health, Dr. David Salisbury, said an
independent report will be "expensive, difficult and take a long time"
to complete.

Salisbury said a review, which was unanimously supported by committee
members, could take two years.

UP TO $500GS

"This (addiction) is a widespread problem," said Salisbury, and added
Ottawa has the highest incidence of hepatitis C and HIV among drug
users in Ontario.

Kanellakos said that the report could cost taxpayers up to
$500,000.

Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes has a full-time office employee dedicated
to the drug and safety issues in her ward. She said too many people
are focused on the crack-pipe program, but the drug problem goes far
beyond users addicted to crack cocaine.

She said treatment, prevention and education are needed to combat the
problem.

"The dealers are in our schools," said Holmes, adding they're going
after those as young as 10 years old.

Holmes wants the provincial and federal governments to step up and
start handing more money over to municipalities to help fight the drug
problem.

"They don't seem to be interested," she said.

Ottawa police Staff Sgt. Paul Johnston said yesterday that addiction
is still the core problem, but that in the Byward Market many
panhandlers addicted to smoking crack cocaine aren't using as much
because people have stopped handing them money.

Johnston also said that many of the street kids who once used the
downtown as their playground are moving to other cities, like Montreal.

Council will debate proceeding with the review next month.