Pubdate: Mon, 15 Apr 2002
Source: Daily News, The (CN NS)
C-18DB0BF1A494}
Copyright: 2002 The Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/halifax/dailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/179
Author: Beverley Ware

COMMITTEE SEEKING REFORMS IN NATIONAL ANTI-DRUG POLICIES

An all-party federal committee into the use of illegal drugs in Canada is 
taking a trip to Halifax.

The committee, which has heard from addicts from Vancouver's infamous east 
side to downtown Toronto, will hold public hearings at the Delta Barrington 
from tomorrow until Thursday.

The committee was appointed last May to come up with a better way to tackle 
Canada's growing drug problem, from prevention through to interdiction and 
rehabilitation.

"The federal government's National Drug Strategy has been a complete 
failure," said Canadian Alliance MP Randy White, who initiated the 
committee. "Enforcement is not working, there are no standards for 
rehabilitation and detox, there's no consistency, education is sporadic."

He said it's an issue that affects every community, small and large, across 
the country.

Paddy Torsney chairs the committee. "What we're finding is maybe we need to 
start looking at an approach that says what are the reasons for people 
looking for alcohol, tobacco, heroin, gasoline, whatever, and how do we 
address those underlying issues and improve the quality of life," she said.

"Communities are being destroyed by break and enters, by people falling 
further and further away from the supports they need to live healthier 
lives, and you're leading to incredible family break down."

She said 95 per cent of federal funds go toward drug seizures and arrests, 
while just five per cent goes to reducing demand. Part of that is because 
the provincial government is responsible for health care, but Torsney said 
the committee should also develop "a more balanced approach."

White said government should focus more on "harm reduction," which means 
providing needle exchanges, safe injection sites and heroin maintenance 
programs, all of which he admits will be a hard sell.

Torsney said she has been touched by stories of drug abuse. She was 
particularly taken by the story of a Vancouver mother of two grown sons. 
One has a master's degree, the other is a drug addict. He robbed her and 
got her thrown out of subsidized housing in his fight to feed his habit.

"She now lives hand to mouth, but she's out there helping people on the 
street, trying to make a difference."

The hearings are open to the public. Anyone wishing to make a submission 
can do so through the committee's e-mail at  ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens