PANEL BACKS SAFE HAVENS FOR JUNKIES

OTTAWA -- Heroin addicts should have safe-injection sites and expanded
needle-exchange programs that could save their lives, says a parliamentary
panel dominated by Liberals.

Two prisons should also be converted into treatment centres for addicts
serving time, the all-party committee on non-medical drug use recommended
yesterday.

In a report to be released Thursday, the 13 MPs are expected to urge easing
restrictions on marijuana possession.

Not all committee members agreed with yesterday's recommendations and the
Canadian Police Association raised alarms.

Canadian Alliance MPs said providing legal shooting galleries is going too far.

"We're not suggesting anyone be soft on drugs," countered the committee's
head, Liberal MP Paddy Torsney.

But she stressed while drug use is a crime, it's also a health issue.

Ottawa needs to spend significantly more on related health costs and
educate the public about legal and illicit drugs, she said.

Health Canada's $104-million drug strategy is underfunded and must be
beefed up with a public awareness campaign, Torsney said.

Ottawa spends about $500 million a year to fight drug use, most of it on
police enforcement.

Yet efforts have failed to thwart prison drug suppliers or ease the human
toll of addiction in the general public, Torsney said.

Whether the substance is legal or not, severe addicts warrant help, she said.

"They're somebody's brother or sister and they're deserving of our care and
support."

The committee says Ottawa should "remove any federal regulatory or
legislative barriers" to ease the way for safe-injection sites and to track
how they work.

Health Canada pre-empted the committee last week when it issued guidelines
on the operation of safe-injection drug sites at pilot sites.

Such "harm-reduction" strategies revolve around the idea drug users can be
monitored and put in touch with health workers.

Police point out crime is frequently the means by which addicts get their
drugs.

Torsney said Ottawa should study treatment models whereby the government
itself supplies the drug in a safe setting.