The controversial government-funded study set out to assess the results of 'heroin-assisted treatment' or HAT.

"Heroin-assisted treatment is very safe when done properly," said Dr Martin Schechter of the North American Opiate Medication Initiative (NAOMI).

"Our results show it to be very effective."

"This is a group, frankly, that society has written off as being beyond help."

Addicts selected for the study had often made several unsuccessful attempts to get clean.

The study entailed them receiving doses of prescription heroin at a clinic.

One addict with an intense desire to quit heroin spent all his time chasing his next hit.

"It's not something that I would wish on anybody," said Vincent.

Once his habit was stabilised, he managed to find part-time work at the city's port.

"I was actually able to live a normal life," he said.

The number of days spent by participants looking for illicit heroin was halved -- as was the amount of money they spent on drugs.

88% of those treated with heroin remained with the treatment programme for at least a year.

"Many people believe that we need a different approach," said Mayor Sam Sullivan.

"I think that once the citizens realize how much crime is going down, how much the load on our health services is going down, how much cheaper it is for everyone, that there's going to be a demand for this kind of programme."

But one retired policeman was sceptical about the approach.

"Giving drugs as a method of treatment is a bunch of nonsense," says Al Arsenault, a 27-year veteran of the Vancouver police.

"These guys just don't get it."

"Drug addicts need the cure, not the poison."

"What they're doing is they want to legalize drugs, when there's not enough treatment centers available."

"That's totally backwards."

"You don't start there, substituting one drug for another to keep them chemically addled in the corner."

But the people behind the study remain steadfast in their belief that HAT is the right approach.

"Based on the evidence, we could apply and we will apply to have heroin licensed," said Dr Schechter.