A city councillor wants to decriminalize illegal drugs and add more safe injection sites.
In his quest to fight Thunder Bay’s drug trade, Aldo Ruberto is bringing a motion to city council tonight in which the city would supply low doses to addicts at low or no price.
“They do not have to rob anybody, they don’t have to prostitute themselves, they don’t have to do all the criminal activities associated with getting dollars to get the drugs. Once it’s for free, that takes care of the marketplace,” says Ruberto.
The At-large councillor adds the city can’t afford to do nothing. He says doing this in a controlled environment will prevent those struggling from stealing and committing crime to support their habit. “Police go there, they arrest the person, with a small amount of hard drugs. They go to court, they get thrown out the same day, the next day. Absolutely nothing happens, person is back on the street. You just took a police officer and left his comrades shorthanded on other calls.”
Ruberto adds there is only one thing that would hinder this from happening, and that is an addict refusing the help, which is common. To deal with that, his motion would have officials bring the top ten or twenty addicts most known to police and paramedics to a site, which is different than waiting for an addict to bring their own drugs. He says some have told him they don’t feel comfortable going to any of the many services already offered.
“We’ll give you drugs, small, small amounts for personal use. Under certain conditions with someone around to make sure everything is done right, so that the person is safe, they’re not out on the street, they’re not tying up police,” says Ruberto.
The At-large councillor adds he has spoken to federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu, who is very willing to provide the federal dollars he says are necessary to get this rolling. Unfortunately, any help could be months, or even more, away.
Ruberto adds he has spent much time on this file, consulting many groups, but says if anyone has a better idea, to call him. His recent motion to hire by-law officers to help police with loitering is being researched by city staff.
