Mayor wants to deal with Vancouver's drug problems
Katharine Kitts/Tamiko Nicholson (News 1130)
A controversial new plan to fight drug addiction has been introduced by Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan. The mayor hopes the pilot project called the Chronic Addiction Substitution Research Project could help curb criminal activity as well.
Sullivan says the recent shootings in the city are linked to drug profits and the drug addicts won't be able to get out of the cycle while drug dealers stand to make money off them. He hopes the pilot project doesn't just get drug addicts the help they need, but curbs the gang violence and criminal activity we've seen lately.
He says methadone will reduce the crime rate of heroine users by over 90 per cent. The pilot project will see addicts given prescription medication to get them off illegal street drugs. Sullivan says many different groups have jumped on board, including Doctor John Blatherwick and other medical professionals. The program has been implemented in the US and in some parts of Europe, and it could be here by the fall. For more information you can visit www.innerchangefoundation.org on the Web.
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