Pubdate: Fri, 16 Sep 2005
Source: Maple Ridge Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc
Contact:  http://www.mrtimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1372
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

BYLAW EYES BAN ON NEEDLES, PIPES IN PARKS

District of Maple Ridge staff are planning a bylaw change that could
penalize people who carry drug paraphernalia into public parks.

The change to parks regulations, which is aimed at a variety of
antisocial behaviour, will likely be presented to council in the next
few weeks, according to Brock McDonald, the director of business
licensing, permits and bylaws.

The new regulations will be similar to rules in other towns and
cities, and will be a means of combatting drug use, according to McDonald.

"This is more to do with maybe another tool for the RCMP," McDonald
said.

The bylaw hasn't been released for public scrutiny yet, but will be
aimed at such things as needles and possibly meth and crack pipes.

It will also cover a variety of other antisocial behaviours, such as
urinating and defecating in parks, a complaint that is sometimes
called in to the district by outraged residents.

The new regulations are not the result of a request from council, but
were created by staff members.

McDonald said the city is also looking at constructing more public
washroom facilities as an alternative to using the bushes as a latrine.

Many of the violations are committed by Maple Ridge's population of
homeless and drug addicts. They will have to go hand-in-hand with the
city's ongoing programs to get people into treatment and affordable
housing.

"That's cool," said anti-meth campaigner Gord Robson, when told about
the new regulations.

He said the regulation may be feeble on its own, but it is part of an
overall attempt to keep people away from methamphetamines.

"The idea is not to penalize people," Robson said. "The idea is to get
them to the point where they ask for help."

The campaign will only work if people get into treatment, and the
local task force fighting the drug is still working on that. The
Salvation Army is placing between two and five people in rehab
programs every week, Robson said.

"We're winning some parts of this crystal meth war, but we're losing
others," he said.

Too many teenagers are still becoming addicted in Maple Ridge every
day, said Robson.

The executive director of the BC Civil Liberties Association isn't as
enthusiastic about the proposed regulation.

"What it appears is that the local government there is trying to
prohibit the possession of something that isn't illegal," said Murray
Mollard.

While the sale, import and export of drug paraphernalia are illegal,
possession is not against the law in Canada, according to the Criminal
Code.

The municipality might be overstepping its jurisdiction if it attempts
to pass such a regulation, Mollard said.

Regulations haven't solved it in the past and he doubts they will
now.

"The idea of simple prohibition is an approach that has been a
miserable failure," Mollard said. 
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