Pubdate: Sun, 13 Mar 2005 Source: Province, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2005 The Province Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476 Author: John Bermingham Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone) TOO MUCH METHADONE: DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE Pharmacies Overrun With Druggies The City of Vancouver is putting a lid on the growth of methadone pharmacies in the Downtown Eastside. City council is set to impose controls on new smaller pharmacies after complaints from local residents and businesses. On the 400-block East Hastings St., there are three methadone-dispensing pharmacies. It's led to dozens of complaints to the city about crowds gathering outside and making a nuisance. "They have a significant number of methadone clients for their size," said Donald MacPherson, the city's drug policy co-ordinator. "Some of them cause some disruption at the street-level, because of the numbers [of patients]," he said. "We think it should be dispersed. We don't want to see a heavy concentration of these pharmacies." MacPherson said methadone should be dispensed widely, like other medications. The smaller pharmacies have sprouted up in recent years to service up to 3,000 Vancouver drug users taking the heroin substitute, many concentrated in the Downtown Eastside. Seven days a week, methadone patients drink their daily dose in front of the pharmacist, until they can be trusted to take their weekend doses home. "There are lots of things pharmacies can do to minimize lineups and loitering outside the pharmacy," said Brenda Osmond of the B.C. College of Pharmacists, which regulates B.C.'s methadone pharmacies. "There are also a lot of things outside their control." Next month, Osmond said the college is issuing new standards that will say "lineups are not acceptable and have the potential to jeopardize the program." Instead of morning lineups, she said, pharmacists will be asked to make appointments with patients during the day. Pharmacists get $8.60 from B.C. Pharmacare for dispensing methadone and $7.70 for witnessing the patient swallow it. About half of all B.C. pharmacies -- 400 of them -- dispense methadone to 8,100 users. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom