'SAFE' CRACK KITS TO FIGHT ADDICTION

Council Approves Controversial Measures

Toronto city council yesterday endorsed a new strategy to combat drug
addiction, narrowly approving controversial measures such as
providing crack pipes to addicts and further study of safe injection sites.

The plan proposed by Toronto Public Health contains 66
recommendations, including the creation of a 24-hour crisis centre
for addicts and restricting the number of liquor licences in a single
neighbourhood.

Only a handful of the proposals drew controversy. Councillors came
within one vote of removing a provision calling for expanded harm
reduction strategies, including the distribution of "safe" crack kits.

A recommendation supporting the decriminalization of marijuana also
survived, as did the recommendation calling for the city to study
opening a safe injection site, similar to one operating in Vancouver.

Councillor Kyle Rae, who championed the report, said he was amazed
the report passed in its entirety.

"I'm surprised that it got through," Mr. Rae said. "But once in
awhile, there's a little twinge of leadership."

Among the other proposals are increased drug enforcement efforts in
public housing and a monitoring system in hospitals and morgues for
indications of new street drugs in Toronto.

Opponents argued the plan will attract substance abusers to Toronto.
Councillor Rob Ford, who has battled heroin addiction within his own
family, said the strategy will only help addicts harm themselves.

"Let me give you a suggestion on how you deal with hard-core drug
addicts," Mr. Ford said. "This is not drinking wine or smoking a
joint, this is heroin or cocaine. With heroin or cocaine, you end up
one of two ways: dead or in jail. That's it. There's only two ways."

The councillor argued safe injection sites will increase crime in the
neighbourhoods surrounding them.

"They're going to attract dealers; dealers are going to carry guns.
They're going to have prostitutes. It's the worst scene you can
possible see. We're not helping anyone," Mr. Ford said.

A half-dozen members of Citizens for a Better Toronto, a group
opposed to the drug strategy, watched yesterday's debate in the
council chamber. Linda Dixon said the proposal is too focused on
helping drug users and not enough on protecting communities. "It's
always about the drug dealer, it's never about us," Ms. Dixon said.
"We're the ones who have to walk the streets, we're the ones who have
to face these crackheads and dealers all the time. But we don't count."

Mayor David Miller disputed suggestions that the strategy would hurt
neighbourhoods.

"It's not that by doing this, you make neighbourhoods weaker. By
doing this, you make people stronger, so make neighbourhoods
stronger," Mr. Miller said.

Supporters of the strategy said investing strictly in enforcement
programs has failed to reduce drug use in the city. Councillor
Shelley Carroll argued that rather than relying on police to
eliminate drug use, the city should help drug users in order to
eliminate other problems facing police.

"You have a gun problem, you have a violence problem and you have a
crack problem and if you don't recognize the connection between those
three things, you are a doomed city," Ms. Carroll said.

Councillor Adam Giambrone noted enforcement is part of the overall
drug strategy.

"I don't think there is anyone here who is saying we shouldn't be
working with our police forces, we shouldn't be looking to deal with
the drug dealers ... Certainly we need to have those enforcement
mechanisms in place. But what we're doing here is recognizing a
reality," he said.