NEEDLE PARKS REJECTED

Organizers of a recent drug abuse forum in Summerland do not want to see
safe injection sites in the community.

Coun. Rick Cogbill, one of the organizers of last week's task force on
substance abuse, believes injection sites, which have been set up in
Vancouver and other Canadian cities, should not be a priority here.

"We don't have a problem with people who are shooting up with dirty
needles," he says.

He believes Summerland should focus on the drugs commonly used in the
community, such as marijuana and crystal methamphetamine.

Former Vancouver mayor Philip Owen believes safe injection sites would help
improve public health and public order. "There's a great interest in this
issue in Canada," he said.

He adds that safe injection sites have worked successfully in several
European cities.

Cogbill, however, wants to ensure that such facilities are not needed here.

"Our goal is to make sure our town does not get to that point," he says.