A parliamentary committee report released Monday called on the federal government to set up safe-injection sites in major cities and expand needle-exchange programs to help save the lives of heroin addicts.

The committee also said two prisons should be converted into treatment centres for addicts serving time. Specific locations were not given.

The suggestions were made by a Liberal-dominated committee on the non-medicinal use of drugs. A second report from the committee, due Thursday, is expected to recommend changes that would decriminalize marijuana possession.

In all, the committee is expected to make 39 recommendations developed from 18 months of consultations. The report cost $500,000.

Among the measures outlined in the proposed drug strategy are:

• The creation of a national drug commissioner to track implementation of a new drug strategy and report to Parliament;
• National drug surveys; and
• The seizure of drug dealers' property, the proceeds from which would go to treatment programs.

Not all committee members agreed with the proposal. Canadian Alliance MP Randy White, vice-chairman of the panel, said the plan would encourage, rather than cure, heroin addiction.

In particular, White said, he's opposed to safe-injection sites and needle exchanges.

"They will maintain a chemical dependency to dangerous and illicit drugs over a much longer period of time," White said.

The Canadian Police Association also expressed concern with the report.

"We're sliding down a slippery slope," said David Griffin, the association's executive officer.

But the head of the committee, Liberal MP Paddy Torsney, said she did not expect the government to be soft on drug use.

Torsney said that while illicit drug use is a crime, it's also a health issue and drug addicts need help to deal with their problem.

"They're somebody's brother or sister and they're deserving of our care and support," she said."

Ottawa currently spends about $500 million annually to fight illegal drug use. Much of the money is spent on police enforcement

Illegal drugs are estimated to result in $5 billion a year in health care, lost productivity, property crime and police costs.
Torsney said Health Canada's $104-million drug strategy is underfunded and should be supplemented with a national public awareness campaign.

Last week, Health Canada pre-empted the committee's report when it issued guidelines detailing how a safe injections programs would work. If such a program is begun, pilot facilities would likely be set up in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.

Police fear legal injection sites would lead to deterioration of surrounding neighbourhoods.

White said he saw evidence of such deterioration when he toured similar programs in Europe.

"I saw human carnage for blocks, as well as a substantial gathering of addicts and pushers in the areas where trafficking and using were reluctantly permitted," he said.

Torsney pointed out that open drug use in parks and alleys is worse than safe-injection sites.

Other recommendations made by the committee include a drug commissioner to oversee a new national drug strategy and report to Parliament, more study of prescription drug use, national surveys on drug use and the use of property seized from drug dealers to treat addicts.

It's now up to the government to act on the committee's recommendations or shelve them.

With a report from The Canadian Press