Pubdate: Fri, 01 Jun 2007
Source: Metro (CN BC)
Copyright: Metro 2007
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/home.aspx?city=vancouver
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3775
Author: Canadian Press

NANAIMO 'CRACK KITS' UNDER INVESTIGATION

The Vancouver Island Health Authority will review its practice of 
handing out free "crack kits" to drug users after its program caught 
the attention of politicians on the Island.

Howard Waldner, president and CEO of the authority, said yesterday 
his officials will rethink the strategy because of the controversy it 
has kicked up.

"The issue at hand here, I think, is that we have not apparently 
effectively communicated this to the mayor and I apologize for that," he said.

Gary Korpan, the mayor of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, called the 
program unethical and immoral, saying he wasn't even sure if it's 
legal to distribute drug paraphernalia.

"I don't know where the medical Hippocratic oath kicks in where you 
are encouraging people to take poison and put it into their systems," 
said Korpan.

A New Democrat member of the legislature for Nanaimo also expressed 
surprise yesterday that free crack kits were being handed out.

"I would have thought that there would have been enough sensitivity 
in (the health authority) to understand that this would be a highly 
political issue and that they would have consulted with the local 
community first," said Leonard Krog.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman