Calgary Crack Pipe Program Killed

Never fear, Calgary crack users! Vancouver is here to save the day.

The City of Vancouver's decision to start handing out clean crack pipes to addicts could have had the unintended consequence of leading the Alberta government to put an end to Calgary's crack pipe program. Alberta Health Services had distributed free crack pipes to for three years, but quietly stopped handing them out after the Vancouver initiative shone the national spotlight on similar programs in Ottawa, Toronto, and Calgary. AHS says their decision is based on the possibility of a legal challenge arising against the Safeworks initiative. Perhaps an Alberta premier will propose another solution to Calgary's persistent crack problem by offering to buy all addicts bus fare to Vancouver. It wouldn't be the first time.