VPD won't attend drug overdoses

[Lunar Loops]

Makes sense. This from Vancouver 24hrs news online (http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/2006/...33453-sun.html) :

VPD won't attend drug overdoses

Police board decision

By RWIN LOY, 24 HOURS

In a bid to reduce overdose deaths, Vancouver police will no longer attend drug overdose incidents with paramedics.
Drug users will not have to fear arrest if they are in trouble, say police, although officers will still accompany paramedics to "suspicious" incidents.
The idea is to encourage drug users to act quickly to get help if they overdose.
The policy is based on research from Australia that showed drug overdose deaths decrease when police stop laying charges for drug use.
The department has used this as an interim overdose policy for the past two years, but made it official at its police board meeting yesterday afternoon.