Pubdate: Fri, 27 Jun 2003 Source: Summerland Review (CN BC) Copyright: 2003 The Summerland Review Contact: http://www.summerlandreview.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1143 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Safe Injecting Rooms) NEEDLE PARKS REJECTED Organizers of a recent drug abuse forum in Summerland do not want to see safe injection sites in the community. Coun. Rick Cogbill, one of the organizers of last week's task force on substance abuse, believes injection sites, which have been set up in Vancouver and other Canadian cities, should not be a priority here. "We don't have a problem with people who are shooting up with dirty needles," he says. He believes Summerland should focus on the drugs commonly used in the community, such as marijuana and crystal methamphetamine. Former Vancouver mayor Philip Owen believes safe injection sites would help improve public health and public order. "There's a great interest in this issue in Canada," he said. He adds that safe injection sites have worked successfully in several European cities. Cogbill, however, wants to ensure that such facilities are not needed here. "Our goal is to make sure our town does not get to that point," he says. - --- MAP posted-by: Tom