A controversial bylaw to restrict how methadone is delivered was sent back to city staff for more information, with several councillors questioning whether the city has the authority to govern the dispensing of medicine. The Leader reported Sunday that the city solicitor was planning to introduce a bylaw that states "no person shall prescribe, sell, give or provide in any manner whatsoever, methadone for consumption anywhere but on the premises of a methadone dispensary or drug store." The bylaw is hoped to eliminate the illegal street trade of methadone, a drug commonly used to reduce the effects of heroin withdrawal. Physicians already require that newly recovering heroin addicts take the drug in front of a pharmacist, but as patients recover, they are allowed to take a few days' supply home, called "carries," so they can pursue more normal lives. [continues 377 words]
Surrey is preparing to restrict how pharmacies issue methadone, with a proposed bylaw that requires the drug be taken in front of pharmacists. But a doctor from the province's task force on addiction says the city is "arrogant" to think it can run medical services better than physicians. Surrey's public safety committee received a report this week that recommends "that no person shall sell ... methadone for consumption anywhere but on the premises of a methadone dispensary or drug store." [continues 536 words]
The future of Whalley's needle exchange will be the subject of debate between the city and regional health authority over the next month as the two parties explore alternate ways to deliver the service. Mayor Doug McCallum met last Wednesday with Dr. Gulzar Cheema, the provincial minister in charge of addictions services, and the Fraser Health Authority (FHA) to discuss the future of the Surrey's needle exchange. Last week, McCallum told a representative of the exchange he wanted the facility shut down "immediately," drawing criticism from health authorities and local MLAs. [continues 225 words]
Surrey's mayor wants to shut down the Whalley needle exchange "immediately," in favour of dispersed services through provincial health units. Critics of that plan say addicts will turn to sharing needles, contracting hepatitis C and HIV, driving up provincial health care costs. The proposed closure comes as part of Mayor Doug McCallum's "action team" campaign to clean up crime-ridden areas of Whalley. It involves a coordinated effort by several city departments, including bylaw, fire, RCMP, engineering and parks. [continues 722 words]
The mayor's plan to shut down Surrey's needle exchange before a viable alternative is explored is being blasted by local MLAs and several Surrey councillors. Mayor Doug McCallum told people in charge of the needle exchange last Monday that he wanted it shut down "immediately." Jim Bennett, who oversees the 135A St. facility, said the answer was an emphatic "no." Surrey-Whalley MLA Elayne Brenzinger is the lone local provincial representative who wants to see the needle exchange shut down in favour of a facility near the hospital. [continues 402 words]
Four methadone dispensaries are suing the city for what they feel is a "discriminatory" hike in business licence fees. Last October, the City of Surrey raised the annual cost of licences for methadone "dispensaries" from $195 to $10,000 to help defray policing and bylaw costs associated with the storefronts. The city was roundly criticized by members of the medical community and the B.C. Pharmacy Association, who equated it to "a time when we locked up epileptics." City solicitor Craig MacFarlane confirmed Thursday that four of the dispensaries have launched legal action. [continues 166 words]
Surrey Electors Team knew a month before November's election that 90 per cent of residents approved of use of drug-detecting dogs in schools. SET also had evidence most Surrey residents favour casinos in a destination-type area or convention centre. SET commissioned Winnipeg's Western Opinion Research to conduct a 40-question telephone survey of 400 residents prior to the election. The results gave the ruling civic party a good indication of the electorate's mood and what voters considered primary issues going into the campaign. [continues 411 words]
Half of the emergency ward visits at Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH) are drug- and alcohol-related, health authorities say, and 40 per cent of the hospital's entire patient load at any given time is in some way involved with chemical dependency. A November, 2000 report obtained by The Leader indicates that 50 per cent of the 75,000 people who come to the SMH emergency ward annually are there for drug-related reasons. It's costing taxpayers millions of dollars annually, acknowledges a representative with the Fraser Health Authority (FHA). The study conducted by SMH's Chemical Dependency Resource Team concluded that there's an "urgent" need to deal with the number of drug-related visits at SMH. [continues 606 words]
While debate continues over how many people visit Surrey Memorial Hospital's emergency room for drug-related reasons, the clinical director for the department says the numbers are "moot." There's a drug problem bringing people to the emergency ward, says Dr. Urbain Ip, who believes that a 50 per cent figure may be "a little high," but adds the exact number is irrelevant. "If it's 25 per cent, so what? If it's 50 per cent, so what? It's still a big problem, it's still huge," Ip says. [continues 560 words]
Surrey will now charge stand-alone methadone dispenaries $10,000 per year for an annual business licence, representing a 5,000 per cent increase. Surrey council voted nearly unanimously in favour of the hikes on Monday, with only Coun. Bob Bose dissenting. "It's punitive," Bose said Tuesday. "... what Surrey is doing is committing addicts to life of dependency - and I think that's morally indefensible." Coun. Dianne Watts said the bylaw isn't designed to limit access to methadone, but crafted to address public safety issues by reducing the concentration of methadone dispensaries in an area of Whalley. [continues 84 words]
A city task force is planning to build an integrated drug recovery centre beside Surrey Memorial Hospital in the next two years. The 22,000-sq.ft. building will include a detox facility with up to 12 beds, residents' services, employment services and a treatment area. The Leader has learned that a planning group with Surrey's drug-crime task force will be making a presentation to city council in the coming weeks, detailing the services offered at the $4-million facility, which will be located in the 13600-block of 94A Ave. Coun. Dianne Watts, who chairs the task force, confirmed Tuesday that the project is in the works. [continues 304 words]
Surrey schools may soon be subject to random patrols by drug dogs, particularly in the south, where teens dealing and possessing illegal drugs is a growing concern. The random dog patrol is one of the options being considered by Surrey's recently formed drug-crime task force, a group of 27 experts and elected officials seeking new ways to reduce substance abuse and its associated crime. Surrey school Trustee Heather Stilwell told The Leader Monday the use of dogs and random searches by school principals are both being considered as elements to tackle the issue. [continues 533 words]
Peninsula 'Hotbed For Drug Activity' Could Debut Locker Checks Drug dogs may soon prowl Surrey schools, particularly here in the south, where teens dealing and possessing illegal drugs is a growing concern. The random dog patrol is one option being considered by Surrey's new drug-crime task force, a group of 27 experts and elected officials looking for ways to reduce substance abuse and related crime. Surrey school trustee Heather Stilwell said Monday the use of dogs and random searches by principals are both being considered as tools to tackle the issue. [continues 202 words]
Drug dogs may soon prowl Surrey schools, particularly here in the south, where teens dealing and possessing illegal drugs is a growing concern. The random dog patrol is one option being considered by Surrey's new drug-crime task force, a group of 27 experts and elected officials looking for ways to reduce substance abuse and related crime. Surrey school trustee Heather Stilwell said Monday the use of dogs and random searches by principals are both being considered as tools to tackle the issue. [continues 204 words]
Methadone dispensaries in Surrey will pay 5,000 per cent more for business licences next year, as the city introduces its most expensive operating permit ever. Until now, enterprises that dispense methadone have been classified as pharmacies and paid $195 per year to operate. On Monday night, city council endorsed a corporate report recommending methadone dispensaries pay $10,000 per year to conduct business in Surrey. Currently, the maximum annual business licence fee is $3,000, charged to body rub parlors, pawn shops, adult entertainment stores and others. [continues 259 words]
A new task force will meet at the end of the month to discuss ways to enhance the city's drug treatment programs and reduce crime in Surrey. While it's being described as an unfettered flow of opinions, actions taken will stop short of the more controversial methods. Task force chair Coun. Dianne Watts said she's open to "a free exchange of ideas" coming from the members of the group, but she's not willing to endorse a safe-injection area where intravenous drug users can shoot up. [continues 171 words]
A task force will explore possible solutions to Surrey's problems with drug abuse and the resulting crime that comes with it. Mayor Doug McCallum confirmed Friday that an "action committee" has been authorized to explore ways to reduce the problems associated with drug abuse, especially in the Whalley core. The news comes days after Coun. Dianne Watts announced several initiatives she was pursuing, including the decentralization of the Whalley needle exchange, and the creation of a detox facility and other treatment programs to provide a "continuum of treatment." [continues 167 words]
Surrey will be home to a full range of drug and alcohol treatment facilities, if Coun. Dianne Watts can convince the provincial government and regional health authority it's a worthwhile investment. At the outset, Watts has the support of the Fraser Health Authority's chief medical officer, Dr. Roland Guasparini. He said the region needs a full complement of programs for people suffering from addiction. "We need these kinds of services," Guasparini told The Leader Thursday. Now that the province has given the health authorities autonomy on how they spend money, the time may be right to launch such initiatives, he said. "The opportunity exists now under the health authority (which) can now say 'we have the resources, we have the responsibility and accountability for these (services) - you have only one place to go now.'" [continues 380 words]
Surrey is moving toward shutting down Whalley's needle exchange in favour of other "delivery models" including the use of medical offices, retail outlets and a mobile van bringing new needles to addicts throughout the city. On Monday, city council unanimously endorsed Coun. Dianne Watts' motion to ask the provincial government to devise a new method of providing clean needles to intravenous drug users. The Whalley needle exchange arrived in Surrey in 1990 with the purpose of reducing the amount of diseases arising from using "dirty" needles including HIV and hepatitis. [continues 216 words]
The province officially backed out of "supportive recovery" last month, leaving Surrey city officials wondering how to regulate them. The province passed an order in council that as of Dec. 12, recovery homes "will no longer be required to comply with the Community Care Facilities Act." The Act, amended two years ago to include recovery homes, introduced for the first time strict operating guidelines, including on-site nursing, adequate diet and building requirements. That, in conjunction with a city bylaw, reduced the number of facilities in Surrey from more than 50 to 15. [continues 346 words]
