Welcome to the City of Vancouver's Four Pillars website, where you'll
find up-to-date information about the events, projects, initiatives,
research and partnerships that make up Vancouver's Four Pillars
Drug Strategy.
The Four Pillars Drug Strategy is the City of Vancouver's policy
and plan for reducing drug-related harm in Vancouver.
- Download a copy of the 2001 outline of the original strategy,
A Framework for Action - English
or Chinese
www.safegames2010.com.
Creating a Culture of Prevention in Vancouver
The City of Vancouver and partners followed up with a third of a series of events November 17th, 2009 to initiate a Culture of Prevention of harm from substance use in Vancouver. More information
Limiting the Harms of Drug Use: An Animation
This animation was created through a partnership between the City of Vancouver's Drug Policy program and Emily Carr University of Art + Design. It shows some elements of one of the four pillars, harm reduction, through several fictional stories. See below for more information on harm reduction and a description of the creation of this animation.
Please scroll down this page for more information on all four pillars.
Limiting the harms of drug use
The stories outlined in these animations are fictional, but they are based on real situations faced by thousands of drug users in Vancouver.
Project challenged Emily Carr animators
The animation, "Limiting the harms of drug use" was produced by seven, third-year
Emily Carr University of Art + Design students.
Raise Shit! Social Action Saving Lives
Hot off the press! A brand new book about community activism in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES) by Susan Boyd, Donald MacPherson and Bud Osborne is available now through Fernwood and local bookstores.
News story of the week
Each week, we highlight one news story about current Drug Policy issues.
Support for safe injection sites
The McGill Daily February 1, 2010
Courageous court, obtuse government
Globe and Mail January 16, 2010
B.C. court rules Vancouver's Insite safe injection site can stay open
Vancouver Sun January 15, 2010
Drug war waged against wrong people
Seattle PI January 12, 2010
B.C. turns profit from crime proceeds
CBC News January 11, 2010
Deflate the elephant - and help save a life
New LCBO campaign urges Ontarians to speak up to help prevent drinking and driving
CNW Group
December 9, 2009
The promise of safer inhalation
By Evan Wood
National Post
November 2, 2009
The real gateway drugs
By Laura Kelsey
BC Local News
August 31, 2009
U.S. turns blind eye as partners legalize drugs
By Colby Cosh
Times Colonist
August 30, 2009
'Four Pillars' drug policy appeals to U.S. President Obama
UN
Report says Canada a major source of 'party' drugs
The Province
June 25, 2009
Homeless shelters reducing 911 calls
Vancouver Courier
March 13, 2009
'Keep up to date with current news about issues related to Vancouver's Four Pillars Drug Strategy
Links to relevant media stories
The four pillars of our city's drug policy are:
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Promoting healthy families and communities, protecting child
and youth development, preventing or delaying the start of
substance use among young people and reducing harm associated
with substance use. Successful prevention efforts aim to improve
the health of the general population and reduce differences
in health between groups of people.
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Offering individuals access to services that help people come
to terms with problem substance use and lead healthier lives,
including outpatient and peer-based counseling, methadone
programs, daytime and residential treatment, housing support
and ongoing medical care.
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Reducing the spread of deadly communicable diseases, preventing
drug overdose deaths, increasing substance users' contact
with health care services and drug treatment programs and
reducing consumption of drugs in the street.
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Recognizing the need for peace and quiet, public order and
safety in the Downtown Eastside and other Vancouver neighbourhoods
by targeting organized crime, drug dealing, drug houses, problem
businesses involved in the drug trade, and improving coordination
with health services and other agencies that link drug users
to withdrawal management (detox), treatment, counseling and
prevention services.
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On March 13, 2009, the CBC's Fifth Estate aired a one-hour program on Insite, Vancouver's supervised injection site, called Staying Alive.
The interim report of the Davies Commission Inquiry into the death of Frank Paul has been released.
Download PDF
On November 5, 2008 the Health Officers Council of BC wrote a letter the BC's Health Authority chairs and CEOs, the Minister of Health Services and the Minister of Healthy Living and Sport asking BC health authorities to develop supervised injection services where there is a need and as part of a continuum of health services.
Download PDF
On October 17, 2008, researchers released data from the North American Opiate Medication Initiative (NAOMI) study. The trials examined whether heroin-assisted therapy or methadone therapy is better for improving the health and quality of life of long-term opiate users. The study included 251 participants; 192 in Vancouver and 59 in Montreal.
Read the results summary
Read the news release
On May 31, 2008 Angus Reid Strategies released its poll showing that the vast majority of Greater Vancouver residents would not choose to close Vancouver's supervised injection site, Insite.
Click here
to read the poll results.
On May 29, 2008 City of Vancouver Drug Policy Coordinator Donald MacPherson addressed the federal Standing Committee on Health. Click here to read his comments.
On May 27, 2008 the Honourable Mr. Justice Ian Pitfield released his ruling permitting Vancouver's Supervised Injection Site to remain open for another year, while the federal government rewrites a key section of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Pitfield said the law currently governing illicit substances violates the Constitution. Click here to read the full decision.
The City of Vancouver has initiated an innovative collaboration among a broad range of Vancouver's institutional and community stakeholders. This group is committed to addressing the urgent situation facing some of Vancouver's most vulnerable citizens: those with mental health and addictions problems who are also homeless or living in substandard conditions.
More information
The Last Edition of the Four Pillars News (temporarily on hold)
February 2009
Street Addicts, one of the films created by participants in a City of Vancouver Drug Policy Program/Reel Youth workshop was screened at the Vancouver International Youth Festival as part of a program of the best of youth film making.
View the film
Vancouver Drug Policy Program Coordinator Donald MacPherson has won a prestigious National Award for Excellence in Reducing the Harm Associated with Substance Abuse from the Kaiser Foundation.
Read the City of Vancouver Press Release
Read the Globe and Mail story
Three-quarters
(74%) of Greater Vancouver residents say they support the
four-pillar approach to dealing with drug problems in Vancouver
's Downtown Eastside. View detailed results of a February
2007 Ipsos Reid poll on Vancouver's drug policy and the
Downtown Eastside.
Ipsos Reid poll
results
Meanwhile, 76% of Vancouver residents support a license extension for the Supervised Injection Site, located in the city's Downtown Eastside.
Mustel Group poll results 
Preventing and Reducing Harm from
Substance Use
Vancouver City Council voted unanimously on Nov. 3, 2005
to adopt the prevention plan Preventing Harm From Psychoactive
Substance Use. The report outlines the need for a comprehensive
and evidence-based prevention strategy for Vancouver.
View
the plan
Youth-friendly:
The short & sweet version
The Cost of Substance Abuse in
Canada 2002 (Released 2006)
The results of the national Cost of Substance Abuse in Canada
2002 report were released in April, 2006. It estimates that,
in 2002, abuse of tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs cost
Canadians about $40 billion. The cost to BC was $6 billion.
LEARN
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