Pubdate: Mon, 28 May 2007 Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON) Copyright: 2007 The Ottawa Citizen Contact: http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n574/a09.html Author: Kevin Hatt WE NEED WISE POLICIES, NOT A WAR ON DRUGS Re: Hard to crack addiction, May 8. The board of the AIDS Committee of Ottawa stands with the views expressed in the Citizen's editorial, and is alarmed by the May 23 news article, "Tories set to unleash get-tough drug policy." Any drug strategies Ottawa builds federally or city-wide must be a "made in Ottawa solution," providing lessons from all previously learned "best practices" of the many perspectives that contribute to a healthy community. We see the lives saved and altered by the adoption of a harm-reduction approach. The University of Ottawa presented a study that indicates an astounding reduction in the numbers of HIV/hepatitis C transmissions in a few short years. Since the city embraced the distribution of the crack-pipes program, more than 30 transmissions are prevented in one year. In Vancouver, there is a groundswell of community support at all levels for continuing the operations of the safe injection site (InSite). Published, peer-reviewed research proves: an increase of referrals to drug treatment; no increase of drug use or related crime; 70 per cent less needle sharing; and attraction of the highest-risk users - those more likely to be vulnerable to HIV infection. Harm reduction provides an opportunity to help individuals deal with their issues, educate them and over a longer period alleviate their habit. On the other hand, demand reduction is important but if adopted as a sole strategy, it can have detrimental effects on both the individual and society. It creates an underground system and people will be afraid to seek services and put others and themselves at risk. Ottawa needs to adopt its own strategy but recognize that there will be advantages and disadvantages. More important, it needs to involve the community and even the drug users themselves in developing their own strategy. We stand with your editorial on the urgency of developing and adopting, wise, proven solutions to a very complicated issue and not adopt the proven costly, counterproductive "war on drugs" inspired by the U.S. approach. Kevin Hatt, Ottawa Chair of the Board, The AIDS Committee of Ottawa - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake