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Mayor Jim Watson renewed his longstanding opposition to a safe injection site Tuesday, setting the stage for a protracted political battle over the question of how best to help local drug addicts.

The mayor made it clear to reporters that his views on the controversial harm-reduction practice have not evolved in the six years since he first outlined them.

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“In the last election campaign and the one before that, I was very consistent: I believe the scarce dollars we do have should be going to treatment of people who have addictions, whether they’re alcohol or drug addictions,” Watson said.

Expanding oversubscribed treatment programs is a much smarter use of tax dollars, he said, than giving addicts a place to inject their drugs under a nurse’s care.

Watson’s comments came as Police Chief Charles Bordeleau also reiterated his belief that a safe injection site will compromise public safety. Bordeleau has said that such facilities can lead to increased drug trafficking and more crime as addicts pursue cash to finance their habits.