Pubdate: Sat, 04 Jun 2005 Source: National Post (Canada) Copyright: 2005 Southam Inc. Contact: http://www.nationalpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286 Author: Glenn Bohn Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Safe Injecting Rooms) FEMALE PROSTITUTES ARE THE LARGEST GROUP WILLING TO USE SUPERVISED DRUG SITES Female sex-trade workers in Vancouver who smoke crack cocaine, heroin and other hard drugs are the addicts most likely to smoke those drugs in a government-sanctioned and medically supervised facility, according to a new study. Researchers with the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV-AIDS found 28% of 443 drug users surveyed were willing to use a "supervised smoking facility" like InSite, the "supervised injection site" that exists in Vancouver for injection drug users. The percentage was much higher -- 42% -- for female prostitutes who smoke hard drugs. Those women have been found to be the most at risk for contracting such deadly diseases as hepatitis C and HIV. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom