Pubdate: Fri, 16 Feb 2007
Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB)
Copyright: 2007 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact:  http://www.winnipegsun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/503
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n179/a11.html
Author: Robert Sharpe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)

MAXIMIZING THE HARM

Kudos to Robert Marshall for an excellent Feb. 14 column on the folly 
of drug prohibition.

The good news is that Canada has already adopted many of the 
common-sense harm reduction interventions first pioneered in Europe. 
The bad news is that Canada's southern neighbor continues to use its 
superpower status to export a dangerous moral crusade around the globe.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control researchers estimate that 57% of 
AIDS cases among women and 36% of overall AIDS cases 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 laws that restrict access to clean syringes. Can 
Canada afford to emulate the harm-maximization approach of the former 
land of the free and current record-holder in citizens incarcerated?

Robert Sharpe

Washington, D.C.

(That one's directed to Mr. Harper.) 
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman