Pubdate: Thu, 08 Jun 2000 Source: Irish Examiner (Ireland) Copyright: Examiner Publications Ltd, 2000 Contact: http://www.examiner.ie/ Author: Mike Hickey PROGRAMMES FOR DRUG ABUSE HELP IT was disturbing to read in a recent Irish Examiner editorial that there are 13,000 drug addicts in Dublin alone. I do hope Ireland has a more enlightened approach to dealing with drugs and AIDS than America. Studies in Australia and New Zealand have proven that needle exchange programmes reduce dramatically the rate of cross contamination of AIDS and other viruses. It is far more effective, both in human and economic terms, to finance drug rehabilitation rather that spending billions on prisons as America is doing. Americaís drug war has more to do with corporate welfare for campaign donors than helping the chemically dependent. In any American city you will find large numbers of homeless people begging. Many have drug and alcohol problems, many also have criminal records as a result, which means they are unable to find any type of employment. It is important to deal with these issues. Mike Hickey, 163 Third Avenue, #331, New York, NY 10003. - ---