Pubdate: Tue, 21 Jan 2003
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2003, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.fyiedmonton.com/htdocs/edmsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: Robert Sharpe
Note: Parenthetical remark by the Sun editor, headline by newshawk
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n087/a02.html

COMMON-SENSE ALTERNATIVE

RE: "SAFE injection anything but," by Andrew Hanon, Jan. 21.

Safe injection sites have been proven to reduce the spread of HIV without 
increasing drug use. They also serve as a bridge to drug treatment for an 
especially hard-to-reach population. Unfortunately, they do absolutely 
nothing to undermine the illicit heroin trade.

For a common-sense alternative to the never-ending drug war, look to 
Europe. Switzerland's heroin maintenance trials have been shown to reduce 
drug-related disease, death and crime among chronic users. Addicts would 
not be sharing needles if not for zero-tolerance laws that restrict access 
to clean syringes, nor would they be committing crimes if not for 
artificially inflated black market prices. The success of the Swiss trials 
has led to pilot heroin maintenance programs in Germany, Spain and the 
Netherlands.

If expanded, prescription heroin maintenance would deprive organized crime 
of a core client base. This would render illegal heroin trafficking 
unprofitable and spare future generations from addiction.

Robert Sharpe

(There's lots of opinions on drug policy.) 
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MAP posted-by: Alex