Pubdate: Wed, 10 Oct 2007
Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON)
Copyright: 2007 The Ottawa Citizen
Contact: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

HARMFUL IMPRESSIONS

That Stephen Harper minimized the role of harm reduction in his new 
drug strategy, while continuing to promote old and disproved 
criticisms, shows just how misunderstood the harm-reduction model still is.

The prime minister invoked a familiar non-answer to a question about 
harm reduction at his press conference last week. He's all for "harm 
reduction," he suggested, in the sense that treatment, prevention and 
enforcement all reduce harm. Yes, those things are all good, but 
"harm reduction" refers to programs such as needle exchanges, 
methadone clinics and alcohol management -- programs that contain the 
addiction problem and reduce the spread of disease.

The prime minister did the field of public health a disservice by 
dismissing harm reduction approaches. "I remain a skeptic that you 
can tell people that we won't even stop the drug trade, we won't get 
you off drugs, we won't even send messages to discourage drug use but 
somehow we will keep you addicted but reduce the harm just the same."

This is not what these programs do, and the prime minister, who's a 
smart man, ought to know that. Safe-injection sites, for example, can 
be places for addicts to learn about detox programs, places for 
social workers to get the messages of well-meaning city councillors 
and MPs out to the people who need it -- people who spend their time 
in alleys and stairwells and don't watch a lot of public-service announcements.

It would be absurd for the government to outlaw nicotine gum and 
patches in the belief they send the message that it's OK to be 
addicted to nicotine. Yet that's exactly the logic the government 
applies to illegal drugs. Nicotine-replacement therapy helps some 
smokers ease themselves off cigarettes. A small drink once an hour 
helps alcoholics get off the gallons of hard stuff. It's pretty hard 
to think about treatment options when you're shaking.

The federal government regulates the manufacture of cigarettes. It 
requires, for example, all cigarettes to meet an ignition propensity 
standard, to make it less likely that smokers will light their 
mattresses on fire. That doesn't mean the government wants people to 
smoke in bed. It means that if people are going to smoke in bed, at 
least we should try to reduce the chance that they'll burn down their 
neighbours' houses.

Similarly, a clean crack pipe does not send a message that's OK to 
smoke crack, in bed for anywhere else. It reduces the chances that 
the crack-smoker will spread AIDS and hepatitis to the community.

The federal government must, at least, get out of the way of 
provinces and municipalities that want to implement harm-reduction 
programs. And it has a responsibility to stop feeding the 
misconceptions about what can be a valuable approach.

Mr. Harper's plan includes a chunk of money for enforcement, and 
mandatory minimums for some drug offenses, which will remove judges' 
discretion in dealing with real-life stories. Yet to his credit Mr. 
Harper did emphasize that what many addicts need is help, not 
punishment, and his $32 million for treatment programs is welcome. 
Now Mr. Harper needs also to recognize that harm reduction is simply 
another way of helping this ill and tormented population.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman