Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan and City Councillors Voted for a City Council Resolution to Support Two Important Drug Policy Measures

For Immediate Release: June 14, 2007 Contact: David Hurford, Director of Communications, City of Vancouver - Office of the Mayor, T: 604.873.7410 or 604.561.3970 Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan and City Councillors today voted for a City Council resolution to support two important drug policy measures, including: a.. Vancouver Coastal Health Authority's federal application for a 3.5 year extension of Vancouver's safe injection site b.. the general principles and objectives of the Inner Change Society's Chronic Addiction Substitution Treatment (CAST) research trial The measures were introduced by Vancouver City Councillor Kim Capri and seconded by Mayor Sullivan. "The resolution passed by City Council further supports the development of compassionate solutions to the social challenges we face," said Mayor Sullivan. "In addition to supporting the five goals I have established for my government, the extension of the safe injection site and the CAST research trial will help us meet the objectives of Project Civil City." A complete copy of the approved resolution and a background document regarding CAST general objectives and principles are included below. In addition to supporting these measures, Council has asked City Staff to report back to City Council on how the CAST goals and objectives can support Vancouver's drug policy. -END- Test of the Vancouver Drug Policy Resolution: WHEREAS The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority's Safe Injection Site: a.. was first formally introduced by former Mayor Philip Owen with Vancouver's Four Pillars strategy to improve conditions in the Downtown Eastside; b.. is one element of a drug strategy that also includes prevention, treatment and enforcement; c.. has been successfully operating for the last 3.5 years under a federal regulatory exemption which expires this year; d.. has been the subject of research studies that support its effectiveness in reducing the harm associated with drug use and addiction; e.. supports the City of Vancouver's goal of civility on our streets and finding compassionate solutions to challenging social issues; f.. supports Vancouver's objectives as identified in Project Civil City; g.. complements the groundbreaking North American Opiate Medication Initiative (NAOMI) heroin assisted treatment trials led by researchers at the University of British Columbia and University of Montreal, and funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research; h.. will be an important agenda item on Mayor Sam Sullivan's meeting next month with the Four Pillars Coalition; i.. has submitted an application to Health Canada for a 3.5 year extension of their federal exemption. AND WHEREAS The Inner Change Society's Chronic Addiction Substitute Treatment (CAST) research trial: a.. will work with addicted people to change their drug addiction from illegal street drugs to legally available, orally-administered prescription medications; b.. will analyze the effects on both the user's health and the community at large; c.. will include regular interaction with health professionals and facilitate interventions to help users develop an "exit strategy" to end their drug dependency; d.. proposes to help reduce the open drug market and other illegal activity, improve health, increase access to housing and more employment opportunities for individual addicts; e.. is being developed by some of the most experienced health researchers in the field of mental health and addiction; f.. is based in Vancouver and has garnered support from a broad range of key stakeholders and an experienced Board of Directors; g.. is consistent with the drug substitution elements of the Four Pillars strategy; h.. supports the City of Vancouver's goal of civility on our streets and finding compassionate solutions to challenging social issues; i.. supports Vancouver's objectives as identified in Project Civil City; j.. is one element of a drug strategy that also includes prevention, treatment and enforcement; k.. will be an important agenda item on Mayor Sam Sullivan's meeting next month with the Four Pillars Coalition; l.. will also require a federal regulatory exemption; m.. complements the objectives of Vancouver's safe injection site and NAOMI heroin assisted treatment trials; n.. is likely to receive referrals from Vancouver Coastal Health's supervised injection site. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Vancouver City Council formally express its support for the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority's federal application for a 3.5 year extension of Vancouver's Safe Injection Site. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Vancouver City Council formally express its support for the general principles and objectives of the Inner Change Society's Chronic Addiction Substitute Treatment (CAST) research trial as part of a comprehensive plan with additional effort to support the Four Pillars strategy and request that staff report back on the CAST program and how it would be incorporated into the City's drug policy. -END- Chronic Addiction Substitution Treatment (CAST) Research Trial Background Vancouver's rates of illegal drug use, drug-related mortality and drug-related pregnancy & childbirth complications present problems that concern all Canadians. Chronic Addiction Substitution Treatment (CAST) is a proposed research trial targeting chronically addicted people in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. It represents one element of a Vancouver drug strategy that also includes prevention, treatment and enforcement. CAST is being led by the Inner Change Society, a non-profit organization under the leadership a well established Board of Directors. CAST is being developed by some of the most experienced health researchers in the field of mental health & addiction. CAST is also supported by AIDS Vancouver, Insite for Community Safety, West End Citizens Action Network, Gastown and Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Associations. There is growing evidence that treating drug addiction from a health perspective dramatically decreases crime and provides significant public cost savings. Global research on substitution programs - and the positive impact of methadone maintenance programs in Canada - shows these initiatives reduce income from illegal activities, health problems, use of emergency services and police contact. General Objectives & Principles CAST Objectives a.. Ultimately end drug dependency. b.. Move addicts from illegal & injection street drugs to legal & orally-administered prescription medications. c.. Improve health and increased access to housing & employment for individual addicts. d.. Reduce crime. e.. Advance research discovery and further establish BC as a centre of excellence & innovation in the fight against drug addiction and for improved mental health. f.. Complement Vancouver's Project Civil City and Four Pillars objectives. CAST Principles a.. Participation will be voluntary. b.. Minimum eligibility will be established & include minimum residency requirements. c.. Emphasis on survival sex trade workers & chronic offenders arrested five or more times within the last year. d.. Regular interaction between addicts & health professionals to facilitate interventions and help users develop an "exit strategy" to end their drug dependency. e.. Clients monitored on a regular basis and provided with addiction counseling & help accessing supportive housing options. f.. Referrals taken from the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, existing DTES agencies, InSite, Community Court & the Police. g.. Analysis to include the effects on the user's health and the community at large. h.. Ongoing consultation with physicians and stakeholders. i.. Will respect all rules associated with conducting research trials & operating a non-profit society.