Pubdate: Wed, 27 Jun 2007
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 The Vancouver Sun
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: CanWest News Service

VICTORIA MAYOR WANTS 'DRUG CONSUMPTION SITES'

VICTORIA -- Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe is applying for an exemption to 
Canada's drug laws to operate three supervised drug consumption 
sites, based on a report released Tuesday that the city's addicts 
need urgent help.

"We must do something to improve the current situation and we cannot 
wait any longer," lead researcher Benedikt Fischer, of the Centre for 
Addictions Research of B.C., said at a press conference. "It should 
have happened yesterday."

The city will submit an application to Health Canada by December to 
operate for three years, as a research project, multiple sites where 
addicts can under supervision not only shoot up, but possibly smoke 
and swallow drugs.

"We need to move forward with this to look at public order on the 
streets and see how we can reach those most vulnerable on the 
street," Lowe said.

One site would be downtown with the other two yet to be decided.

Greater Victoria is home to an estimated 2,000 injection drug users 
and hundreds more pill poppers, crack smokers and crystal meth addicts.

The consumption sites are expected to prevent overdose deaths, slow 
the spread of infectious disease, and curtail hospital emergency 
visits. They would cost an estimated $1.2 million a year to operate.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman