Pubdate: Fri, 08 Oct 2004
Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
caaf-4592-9de2-0eab49bb7e3b
Copyright: 2004 The Ottawa Citizen
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326
Author: Daniel Tencer, The Ottawa Citizen
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?143 (Hepatitis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)

CITY 'ABETTING' DRUG USERS, CULLEN FEARS

Committee OKs Request By Needle Exchange Program To Dispense Drug Paraphernalia

Ottawa's needle exchange program is now distributing crack pipes, 
tourniquets and other drug paraphernalia to drug users, a city council 
committee learned yesterday.

The expansion of the program was approved with little debate by the health 
and social services committee.

The committee received and approved a report yesterday from Dr. Robert 
Cushman, the city's chief medical officer of health, which argued that the 
expanded drug paraphernalia program would help decrease the rampant spread 
of HIV and hepatitis C in the city's drug-using community.

According to Dr. Cushman's report, 75 per cent of Ottawa's injection drug 
users are infected with hepatitis C, which is a leading cause of cancer, 
liver cirrhosis and premature death.

Twenty-one per cent of injection drug users in the Ottawa area are infected 
with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The report said that the lifetime cost of treating an HIV patient is 
between $150,000 and $500,000 -- considerably more than the $2,500 it will 
cost the city to distribute the drug paraphernalia.

Among the items being distributed as of September, according to the report are:

- - Crack pipes: "Research findings demonstrated that crack smokers are at 
increased risk for blood-borne infections and sexually transmitted 
diseases. Sharing of contaminated equipment increases risk of 
transmission," Dr. Cushman's report said.

- - Tourniquets: "Blood residue left on tourniquets may lead to cross 
contamination and transmission of pathogens," said the report.

- - Aluminum caps: Used to heat drugs to a high temperature to mix substances 
into an injectable solution. They are "known to be a reservoir for viruses."

The city offers a needle exchange program at the Health Sexuality Centre at 
179 Clarence St.

As well, a van travels to various locations in the city from 6 p.m. to 
midnight, seven days a week. Outreach workers also visit drop-in centres 
and walk around the Byward Market area.

But the lack of a debate on the issue has raised the alarm for at least one 
member of the committee.

"I feel uneasy about this," said Councillor Alex Cullen.

"I wanted the health implications of this explained to me. The optics of 
this are problematic, because it looks like we're abetting illegal drug use."

Mr. Cullen said he missed his opportunity to bring up his concerns about 
the program at yesterday's meeting because he had temporarily stepped out 
of the committee meeting room when the item was passed without any form of 
debate.

Even Mayor Bob Chiarelli was kept in the dark about the controversial 
changes to the exchange program.

When approached for comment on the issue last night, a spokeswoman for 
mayor Bob Chiarelli said he would not answer questions about the issue 
until he has been briefed on the subject.

Since the initiative requires no new funding to the budget of the city's 
"Site harm reduction program" and falls within the authority of the health 
and social services committee, the item will not be debated at city 
council. The city's community and protective services now have the 
authority to run the program.

The program has been handing out syringes to injection drug users since 
1991. According to information distributed to the committee, the new 
products have been on the program's roster since last month.

Mr. Cullen said that part of the funding for the program will come from 
Ontario's ministry of health, "so obviously we have their concurrence."

The report said that the city has the authority to pursue this program 
under the province's Health Protection and Promotion Act, and that the 
city's legal services have been "extensively involved In the review of harm 
reduction products provided throughout the Site program."
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D