Pubdate: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2002 The Vancouver Sun Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Guido Thylmann Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction) [Vancouver Sun Editorial Introduction: While many professionals endorse safe injection sites and clean needles for drug addicts, other counsellors think a combination of jail and treatment is the best answer] ON PINS AND NEEDLES, 4 of 5 As someone who has seen a comprehensive harm reduction program in action, I can only shake my head when reading the speculative comments made by your readers. Time and time again, I read about "enabling" health programs such as safe injection sites. If safe injection sites and other harm reduction programs were so enabling of drug use, Germany would be overrun with drug users. But instead, there are now fewer drug users and drug-related problems in Germany. The truth is that harm reduction works, especially when it is supported by prevention, treatment and innovative approaches to enforcement. The problem is that the public and politicians in Vancouver have been listening to the advice of police officers like Al Arsenault for too long. All we have to do is look south of the border to realize how helpful that sort of advice is. Let's stop speculating and start acknowledging the evidence. Guido Thylmann Vancouver - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D