Pubdate: Tue, 18 Mar 2008
Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008, BC Newspaper Group
Contact:  http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948
Author: Darrell Bellaart
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Supervised Injection Sites)

PROVINCE DEFENDS SAFER CRACK KIT PLANS

There are no plans to change course on a controversial safer crack 
pipe distribution program that caught the attention of the United 
Nations' drug monitoring arm.

Dr. Perry Kendall, the provincial health officer, said the 
International Narcotics Control Board is wrong when it says B.C. is 
violating international agreements by distributing free crack pipes - 
along with other items to minimize the potential for spreading 
hepatitis C - and setting up safe injection sites for addicts.

The INCB reports to the UN on global trends in narcotic drug use, and 
adherence to international conventions on drugs. The organization 
recently admonished Canada for its harm reduction programs and urged 
Ottawa to ensure it meets international agreements to control the use of drugs.

That warning followed reports of safe injection sites in Victoria and 
Vancouver, and experiments in Nanaimo last year giving kits 
containing crack pipes, condoms and other items to addicts, to reduce 
the spread of disease.

Kendall said the INCB is taking an "ideological" approach based more 
on the U.S.-based war on drugs than the reality of harm reduction.

"The UN itself tends to be supportive of harm reduction programs," 
Kendall said. "So the INCB is, I would say, not speaking for the UN."

He said it's also ignoring the legal advice of the United Nations 
Office of Drug Control, which is the larger office within the UN.

That advice is that harm reduction programs designed to reduce 
illness and overdose rates and encourage drug treatment cannot be 
considered to promote illicit drug use or to violate international treaties.

"So the INCB is wrong legally, when they claim that supervised 
injection sites or crack cocaine (kits) are contrary to the 
obligations of signing members, which is why so many signing members 
is Europe, Australia and Canada have gone ahead and launched these 
programs," Kendall said.

"They've done their own legal reviews and concluded that they're not 
in contravention of the international treaties."

The province plans to ignore the reproaches of the INCB.

"If you look at crack pipe distribution, it is essentially the same 
as a needle exchange," Kendall said.

Earlier this year, the city hired Victoria consultants City Spaces to 
help draw a harm reduction policy.

Meanwhile, the B.C. Health Ministry said it plans to go ahead later 
this year with a harm reduction program that includes distribution of 
safer crack kits containing pipe mouthpieces, rather than pipes.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom