SAFE INJECTION SITES HEADING TO NEW WEST?

Expect safe injection sites to be an issue throughout the region, not only
in Vancouver where they formed the basis of Mayor Larry Campbell's
successful election campaign.

"Yes, I see that issue coming up," said New Westminster Coun. Casey Cook, a
member of the Lower Mainland Municipal Association's (LMMA) drug strategy
committee. "Vancouver made it very clear they don't see themselves being
the only area taking on these services."

Safe injection sites and other harm reduction initiatives form one of the
"four pillars" of Vancouver's strategy to combat the drug addiction that is
rampant in the Downtown Eastside. The other three pillars are prevention,
treatment and law enforcement.

"A stand-alone safe injection site, I think, is a huge, huge mistake
without the other three pillars present," Cook said. "To go into harm
reduction right now without adequate treatment capacity in B.C., it just
doesn't make sense."

There are currently 99 drug treatment beds in the province which have a
waiting list of two to 10 months, he said. But any waiting list is too long
when, for the treatment to be successful, drug addicts need to be treated
as soon as they are ready to take that step.

In the city of Portland, Ore., addicts get into treatment within two days
of requesting it, he said. If they can't get in on the first day, they are
at least given housing in the meantime. It's a method that has seen "quite
a surprising rate of success."

Safe injection sites are currently illegal, Cook said, and would require
changes in legislation to get them off the ground. And without the other
three pillars, "basically, you're accommodating the addict."

A huge infusion of money to increase treatment capacity is needed, although
neither the provincial nor federal governments have drug strategies in
place, a fact Cook called "pitiful."

And before safe injection sites open, he said, "A very important element is
community discussion and community acceptance of the whole notion."

Meanwhile, the LMMA continues work on its own drug strategy which is based
on the notion that "addiction doesn't know borders" and needs to be dealt
with on a regional basis. Cook said it is currently working on securing
grants to hire a coordinator for its planned pilot projects which are
focused on preventing addiction through education in schools.