Pubdate: Fri, 28 Oct 2005
Source: Scarborough Mirror, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2005 The Scarborough Mirror
Contact:  http://www.insidetoronto.ca/to/scarborough/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2198
Author: Stuart Green, and David Nickle
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Safe Injecting Rooms)

BOARD OF HEALTH BACKS DRUG STRATEGY

Toronto's board of health overwhelmingly backed a bold new strategy
for dealing with the city's chronically addicted drug users setting
the stage for a potentially heated debate at city council this week.

The strategy's 66 recommendations include studying the establishment
of safe injection sites similar to those in other cities, handing out
pipes to crack addicts and offering council's support of a move to
decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

The board's approval came despite concerns from residents mostly in
the downtown area, who fear their communities will become home to safe
injection sites.

ADMIT DEFEAT

Suzanne Edmonds of the Corktown Residents and Business Association
said the strategy has the potential to do more harm than good and
create more problems than it solves.

"You will see 'Toronto the Good' become 'Toronto the Weak,'" she
said.

"We will be a seen as a city that has thrown up its hands and admitted
defeat."

She said the city should be focusing on reduction through counseling,
detox, rehabilitation and stiff penalties for drug use instead if
encouraging its use.

EMPHASIZE PREVENTION

The strategy, championed by downtown Ward 27 Councillor Kyle Rae
(Toronto Centre-Rosedale) 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.

Dr. Peter Selby of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health called
the plan "forward thinking and comprehensive."

He said it will go a long way to preventing the spread of other
disease associated with crack use, such as hepatitis in the same way
the city's needle exchange program for injection drug users curbed HIV
rates among drug abusers.

"I can only imagine the kind of discussion that was going on around
the needle exchange program and now we think nothing of it," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin