49 replies to this topic

[Holden West]

"In every poll, when Canadians are asked whether they want more law enforcement or less, they want more. So the bottom line is that Canada's new government will be taking a different approach."

What these simpletons leave out is that Canadians agree law enforcement is PART of the solution, along with effective treatment. After all, enforcement is one of the Four Pillars.

Unbelievable.

[Rorschach]

What are the "smart" methods that should be used? Personally, I think it's a heath problem that comes under the rubric of universal health care. The key element missing is the will to force health care on those who don't want it. Even this would be an impossible task because of the sheer numbers of patients to be cared for. The homeless do not have a homeless problem, they have a drug or alcohol problem or a mental health problem. Address the issue from that direction.

Since someone brought up that among the destitute some do make it, perhaps we should figure out what characteristics distinguish those addicts that do recover and focus efforts on saving those who can be saved rather than trying to save everyone -- the vast majority of which are beyond any hope of salvation?

Yes, you can play god here if you are smart enough about it. Building more prisons or more shelters or more hospitals is no solution.

I think those critical of the current approach must propose a realistic alternative. Just what is that? A safe injection site? I'm for it if it's up in the Yukon Territories or perhaps in Nunavut. But downtown? You've got to be kidding. We're going to turn Victoria into Amsterdam? That's the solution?

Can we then have a safe party site for the regular people in town? I'd like a large area where the government serves free beer to underage drinkers.

[G-Man]

I think the key is having a place for someone to go that is asking for help now. The moment someone asks for that help there should be a place they are taken 24 hours a day. As it is now many are told to come back tomorrow. By that time they are back in the circle of addiction.

[ressen]

Legalize all drugs and a big portion of the problem would disappear over night. Prices of drugs would drop as would a corresponding amount of crime used to pay for these drugs. It has been shown that freely available drugs do not increase the the amount of people that want to use drugs or try them in the first place. If this is to radical then at least legalize Marijuana as this drug is fairly benign and if available cheaply enough would be used more frequently than just hard drugs.

[G-Man]

I agree with you on that point but I still think we need a system of support for those that do not want to be addicted anymore.

[Holden West]

I was curious what the "drug of choice" was in Vancouver so I Googled it:

"What is even more worrisome is the urge some authorities have to "flood" Vancouver's Downtown Eastside with methadone, failing to recognize that the drug of choice in this area is cocaine."

"Drug counsellor Bob Hughes says that crystal meth has become the drug of choice for young users in [Kamloops B.C.]"

"Heroin is still the drug of choice at the [Vancouver] facility, said Viviana Zanocco, spokesperson for the health authority."

"Alcohol, and not heroin, may be the drug of choice for the majority of the substance-dependent Aboriginal people [in the D.E.S.], so fewer sought methadone maintenance"

"The drug of choice [in Vancouver in 1999] is injectable cocaine, although heroin is a standby and crack is making inroads."

"The drug of choice at Vancouver's injection site is 40 per cent cocaine, 40 per cent heroin, with morphine, prescription drugs and crystal methamphetamine comprise the remaining 20 per cent."

[VicHockeyFan]

What the ****, I just mix up all thaT **** AND LET HER RIP. There is no tomorrow, right?

[Caramia]

Yeah most people I know who go up also end up finding a way to come down, or vice versa.

[Holden West]

What the ****, I just mix up all thaT **** AND LET HER RIP. There is no tomorrow, right?

LOL :-D

Hunter S. Thompson lives!

[Holden West]

VICTORIA H.I.V/AIDS AGENCIES UPSET WITH VIHA

Jan 29, 2007 C-FAX NEWS

MISGUIDED -- POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS -- AND UNACCEPTABLE.

-- JUST SOME OF THE WORDS USED TO DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OF THE VANCOUVER ISLAND HEALTH AUTHORITY ON H-I-V/AIDS FUNDING IN GREATER VICTORIA.

VIHA WANTS TO ADJUST THE MONEY GIVEN SEVERAL AGENCIES WHO HELP PEOPLE WITH H-I-V AND HEPATITIS 'C' -- LESS FOR VICTORIA, AND MORE FOR UP-ISLAND COMMUNITIES.

REV. AL TYSICK SAYS THE PEOPLE OF VICTORIA CAN'T DO WITHOUT THAT $450-THOUSAND.

TYSICK SAYS: "AT A TIME WHEN HOMELESSNESS, DRUG ADDICTION AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH AIDS AND HEPATITUS IS INCREASING IN THE CITY AND REGION, ANY CUTS AT THIS TIME ARE UNHEALTHY, UNSAFE AND UNACCEPTABLE."

DAVID EMERY IS H.I.V. POSITIVE -- A CLIENT OF AIDS VANCOUVER ISLAND, HAVING ALSO SERVED AS A VOLUNTEER AND BOARD MEMBER.

EMERY SAYS VIHA DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE AGENCIES TO PEOPLE LIKE HIMSELF.

"IN A YEAR'S TIME IF THIS GOES THROUGH THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT AT A.V.I. THAT IS SUBSTANTIAL ANYMORE," EMERY SAYS. "WHEN YOU TAKE AWAY ONE OF THE FEW AGENCIES THAT ARE WORKING WITH THE MOST VULNERABLE... THE ROLLOUT IS GOING TO BE UNCALCULABLE."

VIHA SAYS IT MUST TAKE A MORE EQUITABLE APPROACH TO HIV/AIDS SERVICES.

C-O-O MIKE CONROY SAYS VIHA HEARD THE COMPLAINTS THAT THE FUNDING SHIFT MAY BE HAPPENING TOO QUICKLY -- AND ANNOUNCED A ONE YEAR REPRIEVE MONDAY MORNING.

VIHA SAYS IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME FOR THE SERVICE PROVIDERS TO "ADJUST THEIR METHODS".

- IRELAND

=================

So let me get this straight--services are underfunded in Victoria and the problem is getting worse. So VIHA's solution is to reduce the resources allocated. Yeah, great.

[m0nkyman]

So let me get this straight--services are underfunded in Victoria and the problem is getting worse. So VIHA's solution is to reduce the resources allocated. Yeah, great.

Frankly, AVI has not been making a lot of political friends in the last little while, and has been a piss-poor neighbour.

This may be a message being sent.... an idea reinforced by the one year reprieve:
"VIHA SAYS IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME FOR THE SERVICE PROVIDERS TO "ADJUST THEIR METHODS". " heh

[VicHockeyFan]

The way I see it, Vancouver Island still gets the same allotment. Seems OK to me.

[Mike K.]

^yeah, VIHA is doing what it needs to do, and thats to provide services for the entire VIHA region.

[stargazer]

Legalize all drugs and a big portion of the problem would disappear over night. Prices of drugs would drop as would a corresponding amount of crime used to pay for these drugs. It has been shown that freely available drugs do not increase the the amount of people that want to use drugs or try them in the first place. If this is to radical then at least legalize Marijuana as this drug is fairly benign and if available cheaply enough would be used more frequently than just hard drugs.

I am from the Netherlands, and I think the Dutch have managed to come up with a reasonable policy. They, for instance, have one of the lowest incidences of hard drug users in Europe. I must admit that I was very shocked to see the open drug use in a small town such as Victoria. So that is a clear sign of failure. However, I think one of the key points in the Dutch approach is to separate soft drugs from hard drugs, while making the use of soft drugs still "exciting" for youths. The result of this result is that drug-dealers (which really don't want to sell you pot, but
rather something addictive, as it increases their sales) are kept away from the potential addicts. I think that is a key part of prevention.

However, if the numbers quoted here are correct, and a IV user costs
tens of thousands of dollars a day, then it would be better to have the government use taxpayers money to treat users by providing drugs in a safe environment with the purpose of detox. I think what is happening is a digusting habit of politicians offloading issues on the public, so that they can pretend they lowered taxes. Somebody is paying for all the damage, but at least it's not taxpayers money... yeah right! We are paying, it just doesn't show up in the budget.

[G-Man]

Good point Stargazer. I agree this issue is costing us the same or more in Insurance premiums, health care costs, policing and victim assistance. We are still far behind the curve when it come to preventative measures in Canada. Politicians see the up front cost and think well will our government survive long enough to claim the reduction in costs five years from now.

[Holden West]

Times Colonist:

[url=http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/story.html?id=c5d6d564-f6e4-41d4-90ff-3d0ae9ac09c0&k=0:69127]Despair on Cormorant Street[/url:69127]

“As far as addiction goes, homelessness is the biggest issue without a doubt,” said Book. “So many people want to go into detox — at least 20 of the 45 people on Cormorant — but people don’t have homes to go to when they get out, so there’s no point. They’d just be back on the street. Without a home, you’re still part of the street scene. And when you’re part of the street scene, it’s really hard to stay clean.”

Yet another addition to my "drug of choice" list:

"For this group, the drugs of choice are cocaine and heroin, mixed together in a speedball. Crystal meth is cut into everything."

(Which, when followed by a beer and vodka chaser, is called a "VHF")

[G-Man]

Rumour is the needle exchange is moving to Rock Bay...

[Holden West]

Confirmed--it will be moving.

Rock Bay would seem to be the most likely location.

[VicHockeyFan]

Needle exchange to be moved
Street became a war zone of drug use
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Crowds often gather outside the needle exchange on Coromorant Street. Neighbouring residents and businesses say the area is dirty and frightening, with people doing drugs in the open.
Photograph by : Darren Stone, Times Colonist
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Font: * * * * Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist
Published: Thursday, March 01, 2007
AIDS Vancouver Island will move its needle exchange from the corner of Cormorant and Blanshard streets, an area that hard-core intravenous drug users have turned into Victoria’s drug zone.

But the group doesn’t have a new location for the facility, nor an agreement from the Vancouver Island Health Authority to fund the expanded services it says will be needed to prevent the same street problems at the new site.

Since February 2002, when the exchange opened at the site, the area has turned in a virtual no-go zone due to open drug use, fights and discarded drug paraphernalia. Neighbouring residents and businesses have complained about finding needles on the streets and jabbed into telephone poles, cars vandalized and yards dug up. They say sidewalks and porches are constantly used as bathrooms, with daily cleanings needed. Many neighbours have put up fences around their properties to keep out what police call a tribe-like group of hard-core drug users.

Yesterday, members of the AVI board, along with Victoria city council, the police and the Downtown Business Association, agreed that something needs to be done.
AVI board chairwoman Marilyn Callahan said her agency wants to solve the problem — not just move it.

“We need to bring people off the street into a courtyard and drop-in space. We need to have space for coffee and discussions with staff and volunteers,” she said, noting that the current location is just too small for that. She also wants to be able to offer mental health and addictions counselling.

“We need resources for all of this and for security in the building and neighbourhood.”

AVI is now looking for a new site that meets the following criteria:
• close to downtown core
• zoned for commercial/industrial use
• not near residential buildings

Already, Rock Bay is one area under consideration.

Yesterday, lawyer and developer Keyvan Shojania offered to, if necessary, find a suitable building to buy and rent back to AVI. “The needle exchange must be moved … to a more appropriate location,” said Shojania, developer of the nearby Palladian condominium building on Quadra Street.

AVI is seeking more government and private-sector funding to make the move. An extra $105,000 will be needed in annual operating costs, plus moving expenses, Callahan said.

However, VIHA which funds AVI services, announced in January that, next year, funding for Victoria AIDS organizations would be cut by more than one-third and the money redirected to up-Island AIDS groups.

VIHA was conspicuous by its absence at yesterday’s news conference, but spokeswoman Moira McLean said that was because AVI and VIHA are in negotiations, and so it wouldn’t have been appropriate. A meeting will be held with AVI next week, Mclean said.

“But, we are not their only funder and we are not responsible for paying for them to move,” she added.

Callahan said the needle exchange hasn’t had a funding increase in 10 years even though the number of syringes exchanged has risen to more than one million from 128,000 in 1996. The number of clients has increased to more than 2,000 from 545.

Needle exchanges save money for the health system and save lives, Callahan said. Studies show that, over a five-year period, at least 24 HIV infections will be prevented, for a cost savings of $1.3 million, she said.

[Holden West]

Who do police serve?

Mar 07 2007

Part of me is still hoping that you misquoted Victoria police Deputy Chief Bill Naughton in your March 2 article, “AIDS group plans move,” which details the problems around Victoria’s needle exchange.

According to the article, Naughton said: “Despite allocating a significant amount of our resources to the issues that have been occurring on the 800 block of Cormorant (Street), it’s been clear to us that we haven’t been able to achieve a satisfactory outcome. We recognize the increasing gentrification of downtown is placing a tremendous amount of pressure on police and social agencies as new residents and busnesses come into conflict with our client base.”

In his most dystopian fiction, George Orwell couldn’t have done better than this. Instead of remembering that it’s the law-abiding, tax-paying “gentrifying” citizens who are paying his salary, Deputy Chief Naughton seems to think he has “clients” (law-breaking drug users).

Deputy Chief Naughton’s comment suggests that he is willing to ignore the open abuse of the law by “clients,” even as their collective (and individual) actions steadily diminish everyone else’s quality of life. A deputy chief who talks of “client bases” has drunk the Kool-Aid of social work, which is not what I want my taxes to fund.

Call me old-fashioned, but I want police officers to prevent crime, not just respond to it once it has occured.

Shooting up in public, defecating in public, trashing other people’s property: these actions are illegal and should be prevented. These actions are also rightly seen by residents as threatening and dangerous. People have to feel safe -- otherwise their civil rights have been violated and their government has failed them.

I wish Deputy Chief Naughton would remember who he works for: we, the citizens, not a troubled “client base” corroding the city.

Yule Heibel

Victoria

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