Pubdate: Wed, 18 Jul 2007 Source: Victoria News (CN BC) Copyright: 2007 Victoria News Contact: http://www.vicnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1267 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction) HOUSES BEFORE SAFE-INJECTION SITES, SAYS CHAMBER The Victoria Chamber of Commerce has thrown its opinion into the safe-injection site debate. The Chamber supports a harm-reduction strategy empathizing prevention, housing, enforcement and treatment. "Essentially we think there are other ways to break the cycle of addiction," said Bruce Carter, spokesperson and CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. "In running a safe consumption site there is still the illegal activity associated with the buying and selling of drugs." Carter added that 90 per cent of property crime in Victoria is drug related. "With every consumption at the site there is a crime attached," continued Carter referring to the source of the drugs consumed at the hypothetical site. "We can come up with other solutions that don't promote drug activity." One solution proposed is a "housing first" strategy similar to what the U.S. has done in cities like Philadelphia, Seattle, and Miami. The recorded successes from these programs range from a 26 to 50 per cent reduction in the homeless population simply by offering affordable government-subsidized housing. "Housing facilitates the delivery of treatment services," Carter said, adding money would be best spent on addiction treatment and an "integrated justice system." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman