Alcoholics next target for harm reduction?

Vancouver should explore a harm-reduction plan that could see red wine given to hard-core street alcoholics, says the city's drug policy coordinator.

Such a program would target homeless alcoholics who may now be drinking extremely harmful substances such as after-shave or Lysol to feed their addictions.

"It's stabilizing the drug use," drug policy coordinator Donald MacPherson said in an interview yesterday. The benefits of the program would be a reduction in emergency room attendance and less contact with police, according to recent research from a similar program in Ottawa.

But he adds, "How big the need is in Vancouver still needs to be determined."

Anne Livingstone of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users says an alcohol-replacement program is logical.

"It brings dignity to people who aren't going to stop drinking," Livingstone said.

The program would be similar, in theory, to heroin-assisted treatment programs, such as the controversial NAOMI heroin program that's now taking place on a small scale in Vancouver. MacPherson also says that program should be expanded.

MacPherson has been integral to the city's implementation of the Four Pillars drug policy, which has received much attention for harm-reduction measures such as the supervised heroin-injection site.

Now he's asking council to approve permanent funding for the city's drug policy program, which will cost $320,00 yearly.

MacPherson acknowledges there have been critics, who say not enough attention has been paid to the components other than harm reduction.

"I'd have to agree if they're talking about prevention," MacPherson said. "It's probably not had the same amount of focus that enforcement and harm reduction have had."

Tags: vancouver, harm reduction, four pillars, drug policy, alcoholism