DISTRICT SUPPORTS DRUG STRATEGY

NORTH Vancouver District Council is willing to back the development of a
regional drug strategy.

But a long and wide-ranging discussion at last Monday's council meeting
made it clear that a majority of councillors do not support needle exchange
programs or authorized "shooting galleries."

The debate came at the request of the Lower Mainland Municipal Association
(LMMA), which is seeking access to recently announced federal crime
prevention program funding.

The federal government has promised one dollar per Canadian for the next
five years for abatement of substance abuse in this country.

New Westminster City proposed to the LMMA that the region's allocation of
$1.4 million be used to develop a Regional Drug Strategy.

According to a brief prepared by New Westminster, there is no coordinated
approach between funding providers, service providers, users and the
community at large resulting in a clustering of services in at-risk
neighbourhoods. Moreover, a lack of services in other areas forces users
and patients to travel to or congregate in New Westminster.

Unlike North Vancouver City councillors who passed the LMMA recommendations
unanimously Sept. 14, district councillors reacted in different ways to the
information brief and ultimately voted to remove any reference to working
"in conjunction with the City of New Westminster."

Coun. Trevor Carolan referred to the problems of drug addicts on the
streets of New Westminster and commented, "There is no nobility in that
once royal city."

And for the second week in a row he vowed to "fight to my dying breath" the
concept of a needle exchange program on the North Shore.

Meanwhile Coun. Ernie Crist said it's not possible to win the war on drugs
except in a dictatorship.

"We're treating the symptoms, not the disease," said Crist.

He acknowledged that his views may not be popular but said he believed
"addiction is a disease and should be treated as such. Put it in the hands
of the medical professionals with strict regulations."

Crist suggested a community-wide debate on the issue. Council subsequently
asked staff to report back within one month on a possible symposium on drug
strategy.

Both Couns. Janice Harris and Glenys Deering-Robb focused on the lack of
detox beds and treatment facilities in the province.

There are only eight government-funded beds available to treat young people
with addiction problems in all of B.C. -- and an eight month waiting list
for each bed.

Last year only 10% of the more than 1,100 15- to 19-year olds who sought to
enter detox were admitted. Statistics from the chief coroner show drug
deaths in the same age range have risen from one in 1988 to 16 in 1996.

Only Harris questioned the $1.4 million proposal for the regional study,
asking, "Does that create one new bed?"

Council later voted to "strongly support the provision of additional detox
beds immediately for the treatment of youth in crisis with substance abuse
problems."

Carolan also obtained council support (except for Harris) for the
recommendation of "compulsory treatment" for addicts.

Although councillors did not appear to realize it, the New Westminster
proposal asks for $1.4 million for five years, or a total of $7 million, to:

* identify the service needs and deficiencies in this region;

* develop a funding protocol with the provincial government and service
providers over the location and provision of recovery services;

* develop local criteria for the decentralization of services; and

* allocate seed money for priority services.

Copyright 1998 by the North Shore News

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski