Pubdate: Sat, 07 Jan 2006 Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 Times Colonist Contact: http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481 Author: Bob Broughton A PUBLICLY FUNDED CRACKHOUSE It looks as though the debate around establishing a crack house in Victoria is heating up again. After all, that's what it would be called if you or I were to set one up. Mayor Alan Lowe is the chief salesman, having taken a trip to Europe to tell us how successful they are there. And now he has enlisted Dr. Richard Stanwick. There was an article in the Times Colonist titled, "Downtown Eastside treatment program experiences problems recruiting addicts" (May 24). In three months they managed to "recruit" 21 addicts. I don't know how many addicts there are in Vancouver, but I suspect that is a very low percentage. On Jan. 2, an article titled "Heroin addicts slow to join program offering free drugs" said "nearly a year into recruitment, only 85 have signed up." This was in Montreal and Vancouver combined. Possession and use of a restricted substance is a Criminal Code offence in Canada. I know, and I cannot travel to the U.S., as thousands of other Canadians well know. Distribution is also illegal: Ask the guy who got arrested and convicted for giving out free pot brownies. I would hope the police would enforce the law just as vigilantly. But our health minister, Ujjal Dosanjh, has that one all figured out. He's going to grant them an exemption, thus creating a new class of Canadian citizen. There seems to be real push to get one up and running. I don't know why we would think there would be a different result here in Victoria. Speaking of exemptions, perhaps I could get an exemption from taxes that would go to buying people narcotics. Maybe we should observe the Vancouver and Montreal programs for another year or two and see if things don't turn around. Even then, I'm still not in agreement with it. Bob Broughton Victoria - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin