Pubdate: Tue, 02 Aug 2005
Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
Copyright: 2005 The Ottawa Citizen
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326
Author: Virginia Carver
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Note: Ms. Carver is a private consultant in addiction in Ottawa and has 
worked for 30 years in the field.

POLICE CHIEF IS ILL-INFORMED

Re: Fund drug prevention, not drug use, July 28.

The views of Ottawa police Chief Vince Bevan are not informed by research 
evidence and practical experience, and must be challenged.

Safe or supervised injection sites are well established in a number of 
European countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and 
Switzerland, as well as Australia and most recently Vancouver. Observations 
and studies have indicated that they contribute to a decline in criminality 
and public nuisance problems (i.e. injecting in a public place, drug 
dealing, etc.), reduce high-risk behaviours such as needle sharing and 
unsafe sex, and also reduce overdose and drug-related deaths. Crucially, 
they can also provide a gateway to substance- abuse treatment and other 
needed health and social services.

Most jurisdictions with well-developed drug strategies recognize the need 
for a balanced approach that incorporates harm-reduction approaches 
together with prevention, treatment and enforcement. Examples include 
Canada's national drug strategy, Vancouver's drug strategy and the drug 
strategies of Australia and a number of European countries.

I would hope that positive public concern about illicit drug use and the 
harm it can cause to individuals, their families and the community would 
result in support for the development of a balanced and integrated drug 
strategy for Ottawa.

Virginia Carver, Ottawa

Ms. Carver is a private consultant in addiction in Ottawa and has worked 
for 30 years in the field.
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MAP posted-by: Beth