Pubdate: Sat, 22 Jun 2002
Source: Maple Ridge News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Maple Ridge News
Contact:  http://www.mapleridgenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1328
Author: Robert Sharpe

PRESCRIPTION HEROIN REDUCES DISEASE, DEATH

Dear Editor,

Re: Junkie's blues (News Views, June 5).

Tom Fletcher ridicules the notion that childhood violence and sexual abuse 
drives some drug users to engage in  self-destructive behavior. He 
sarcastically suggests "the nanny state should take over, replacing those 
big nasty cops with tax-funded legal drug dealers." Replacing the punitive 
nanny state otherwise known as the drug war with harm reduction isn't 
necessarily a bad idea. Consider the experience of Canada's southern 
neighbor, the former land of the free and current record holder in citizens 
incarcerated.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control researchers estimate that 57% of AIDS 
cases among women and 36% of AIDS cases overall in the U.S. are linked to 
injection drug use or sex with partners who inject drugs. This easily 
preventable public health crisis is a direct result of zero tolerance 
policies that restrict access to clean syringes. Can Canada afford to 
emulate the tough-on-drugs approach of the United States? Europe provides 
much better role models.

Switzerland's heroin maintenance trials have been shown to reduce 
drug-related disease, death and crime. They are currently being replicated 
in Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands. Providing chronic addicts with 
standardized doses in a treatment setting eliminates much of the problems 
associated with heroin use. Addicts would not be sharing needles if not for 
zero tolerance laws that restrict access to clean syringes, nor would they 
be committing crimes if not for artificially inflated illicit market prices.

If expanded, prescription heroin maintenance would deprive organized crime 
of a core client base. This would render illegal heroin trafficking 
unprofitable and spare future generations addiction. Harm reduction 
interventions have the potential to reduce the perils of both drug use and 
drug prohibition.

Putting public health before politics may send the wrong message to 
children, but I like to think the children themselves are more important 
than the message.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control webpage the verifies extent of IDU/HIV 
problem: www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/facts/idu.htm. More information is also 
available on our website: www.drugpolicy.org.

Robert Sharpe

Drug Policy Alliance

Washington D.C.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart