Pubdate: Fri, 10 Jul 2009
Source: Victoria News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Black Press
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/wOQxPi2c
Website: http://www.vicnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1267
Author: Roszan Holmen, Staff Writer Victoria News

VICTORIA GIVES THUMBS-UP TO CRACK-PIPE KITS

Esquimalt may want nothing to do with them, but  Victoria's impatient
to get the crack kits flowing.

On Thursday, city council voted to support the  Vancouver Island
Health Authority's push to distribute  free crack paraphernalia.

"I'm actually just surprised that they haven't done it  already," said
Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe.

In a draft letter to VIHA, council requested a pilot  project to
distribute crack kits, including a  mouthpiece and push stick.

"It is clear that harm reduction initiatives go a long  way to
reducing the transmission of communicable  disease," said council's
letter of support.

Coun. Geoff Young, however, disagreed.

"I don't believe the wider ramifications have been  looked at by some
of the studies," he said.

VIHA medical health officer Dr. Murray Fyfe confirms  the benefits of
crack kits have not been widely  studied. Research has shown, however,
that crack pipes  can carry hepatitis C-positive blood, he said.

The plan is to distribute the crack kits through the  same agencies
distributing needles for drug injection.

Instead of handing out complete kits, as they do in  Prince George and
Toronto, Victoria's kits will only  include a mouth piece and push
stick.

The mouth piece -- actually rubber tubing from the  hardware store --
fits over the end of the pipe.

Because crack pipes are often made from broken bottles,  pop cans or
even twisted car antennas, they can cut or  burn mouths, said Fyfe.
When users share pipes, they  can spread hepatitis C or other
communicable diseases.

The push sticks -- actually chops sticks -- are used to  manipulate
the rock cocaine. They are useful in  preventing prevent toxic fumes
or finger burns.

Kits would cost taxpayers only pennies apiece and,  unlike needles,
could be reused by the drug addicts  several times, Fyfe added.

In Esquimalt, the kits have proved more contentious at council.

In late May, Mayor Barb Desjardin said she'd prefer to  ban the sale
of crack tools from convenience stores  rather than distribute them
for free.

Esquimalt's health unit, which would distribute the  kits, is too
close to a recreation centre, she said. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr