Pubdate: Tue, 12 Aug 2014
Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.ottawasun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.ottawasun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329
Author: Matthew M. Elrod
Page: 16
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n659/a09.html
Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor.

REDUCE THE RISK

Re: 'Injection sites are not the answer,' Editorial, Aug. 9.

There is no dichotomy between harm reduction efforts such as
supervised injection sites and "helping addicts get off drugs," just
as there is no conflict between providing first aid and more intensive
medical care, the two are complimentary.

Far from keeping users on drugs, harm reduction programs increase
uptake into detox and treatment, although that is not their primary
goal, but just as most drinkers are not alcoholics, most illicit drug
users are not addicts who would benefit from treatment.

Provincial spending is consistent with the federal drug control
budget, which allocates about 70% to law enforcement, 17% to
treatment, 4% to prevention, and just 2% to harm reduction. If you
sincerely believe that more resources should be allocated to getting
people off drugs, and more should be done to encourage drug users to
seek treatment, then you should be opining against drug law
enforcement.

Setting aside that we can not treat the dead, every dollar invested in
harm reduction saves several dollars in downstream social costs.

Matthew Elrod

(We still don't think Ottawa needs one of these)
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MAP posted-by: Matt