Pubdate: Fri, 21 Oct 2005
Source: Beach-Riverdale Mirror (CN ON)
Copyright: 2005 Beach-Riverdale Mirror
Contact:  http://www.insidetoronto.ca/to/beaches/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2221
Author: David Nickle

PROPOSED CITY DRUG STRATEGY INCLUDES CRACK PIPES AND SAFE SITES

A new city drug strategy that manages drug use according to "harm 
reduction" strategies was unveiled by health and city officials at 
Toronto City Hall last Friday.

The strategy's 66 recommendations include the prospect of 
establishing safe injection sites, handing out pipes to crack cocaine 
addicts and offering council's support of a move to decriminalize the 
possession of small amounts of marijuana.

But it also covers a range of areas beyond that including emphasizing 
drug abuse prevention programs in schools and looking at strategies 
for getting rid of marijuana grow houses.

According to Toronto's Medical Officer of Health Dr. David McKeown, 
the strategy's recommendations, which have yet to be adopted by 
Toronto Council, are based on a simple premise: "We know we are a 
drug-using society - it is a historical fact," he said.

McKeown, who was joined by Ward 27 Councillor Kyle Rae (Toronto 
Centre-Rosedale) and others who had worked on the report, said that 
while some drug use, such as moderate consumption of alcohol, is 
relatively harmless and acceptable, "some use causes significant harm".

"In the past, our response to substance abuse has focused on 
enforcement...but we must do more on prevention and harm reduction," he said.

Toward that end, the report focuses on two of the most pernicious 
drugs used and abused by Torontonians - alcohol and crack cocaine.

In particular, the report has controversial recommendations for 
reaching out to crack cocaine users who currently are not in contact 
with health workers. The report recommends looking at creating safe 
use sites - similar to the safe injection site in Vancouver - and 
supplying drug paraphernalia to crack cocaine users. The harm 
reduction ideas in the report are not finding much support with 
Toronto Police, however. Police Chief Bill Blair said he opposed not 
only the call to decriminalize marijuana possession, but particularly 
the idea of handing out crack pipes to drug users.

Blair said that he supported a drug strategy that looked toward 
eliminating the addiction rather than managing it.

However, Frank Coburn, an admitted former crack addict who helped put 
together the report, said harm reduction can be a lifesaver.

"The harm interventions kept me alive," said Coburn, who said he 
spent 10 years on the street addicted to crack.

"To this day, despite all of the things I have done, I haven't 
contracted Hepatitis C or B, I haven't contracted HIV. I've stayed 
healthy, stayed alive and was able to look at things from a different 
perspective then went to the Donwood Institute for three weeks and 
now I don't use."