Mayor Sam Sullivan

This edition of the Four Pillars News concentrates on treatment issues, a key component of tackling the drug problem in our city. I'm pleased to see the focus on a pillar that, sometimes, doesn't receive the attention it deserves.

This month, I also focused on the treatment pillar when I announced my support for a proposed prescription medication treatment research program for those in Vancouver dealing with chronic drug addiction. The formal proposal has been submitted to Health Canada , requesting an exemption that would allow doctors to prescribe legally available oral medications as substitutions for addictive illegal drugs.

The proposal is the result of my consultations with a wide range of individuals and organizations regarding prescription medication substitution options for those with drug addictions. My long-term goal is to give people with addictions an opportunity to get stability into their lives and, ultimately, to stop taking drugs.

When that happens, we'll all benefit because clearly, drug addiction is one of the root causes of property crime and public disorder. When we help people to overcome their addictions, we will reduce other harms to the community by eliminating individuals' need to commit crimes or panhandle to acquire the funds to purchase drugs.

I think Vancouverites have already made these connections. In my consultations with residents and business owners throughout the city in the development of Project Civil City , the need for different treatment options was often brought forward.

I have been working with David Holtzman, former Executive Director of Leadership Vancouver and A Loving Spoonful, on creating the proposal for this substitution treatment trial. Along with me, David has engaged in informal discussions with a number of groups and individuals involved in the Downtown Eastside and drug addiction issues. He developed the proposal that went to Health Canada . After shepherding it through the initial phase, he has handed key responsibilities to Lois Johnson, who has strong relations with Health Minister Tony Clement.

I see this project as fitting well with the steady growth of treatment options for those with drug addictions. You'll see some of that constant growth, research and improvement in this area, as reflected in the stories in this newsletter.

Consider that:

•  Vancouver Coastal Health has increased its treatment services by about $2 million per year, every year, since 2001;

•  the creation of ACCESS 1, a single phone number that allows callers to access all detoxification services in the city, has helped to reduce (or eliminate) wait times for client access to detox;

•  inSite, Vancouver 's supervised injection site, is in the process of creating treatment beds, for "pretox" services, just above the Downtown Eastside facility; and

•  addiction services have been devolved to Community Health Centres throughout Vancouver , giving citizens in all neighbourhoods convenient access to treatment.

One of the targets I've set as part of Project Civil City 's four goals is to eliminate the open drug market on Vancouver 's streets, with at least a 50-per-cent reduction by 2010. That's an ambitious goal but I'm confident we can reach it.

One of the ways we'll meet that goal is by reaching more drug users with treatment programs. If we can reach more drug users through convenient, timely and effective treatment, right when they're motivated to stop using drugs, we will eliminate their need to panhandle or commit crimes to acquire the funds to buy drugs. We'll also reduce the amount of open drug dealing by removing the customer from the market.

In Vancouver, we have offered various treatment programs including detoxification, residential treatment and gender or age-specific treatment. We've continued to improve the way we offer services and expand on the options. I would like to see us move further and start substitution treatment for those with chronic addictions. It is through such innovative programs that we will make a substantial difference in the number of people using drugs in our city.

In 2010, Vancouver is going to welcome the world for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. This is an opportunity to do something significant to improve the situation in the Downtown Eastside. By using the games as a catalyst, we can focus on the goals of Project Civil City and we will make a difference, not only on the level of public disorder on our streets but, most importantly, in the lives of some of our most troubled citizens.