Pubdate: Fri, 13 Oct 2006
Source: Mcgill Daily, The (CN QU Edu)
Copyright: 2006 The Mcgill Daily
Contact:  http://www.mcgilldaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2638
Author: Nora Mulloy, News Writer

PROFILE: HARM, OVERDOSE TO BE DRASTICALLY REDUCED

Interim Service to Address Substance Abuse, Drug Decriminalization

If you are going to do drugs, SSMU won't judge -- it just wants you 
to do them safely.

The Harm Reduction Centre (HRC) is an interim SSMU service that will 
give students the low-down on substance abuse this fall, before being 
considered for status as a full-time club.

The Centre aims to educate students on substance abuse and safer 
substance-use, as well as lobby for the revision of national and 
international drug policy.

"This information should be provided by the government, by the 
administration, but it's not -- and we're here to make certain that 
it is easily available to any student," said HRC Co-coordinator Eric 
Rumi, co-founder of the Centre.

VP Clubs and Services Floh Herra-Vega said that the Centre will be a 
valuable resource that has been missing on campus. She recommended 
the HRC for status as an interim service and helped the group with 
administrative, logistical, and budgetary issues over the summer.

"It's available to those who may have friends or family with 
substance abuse problems, to help students whose use has 
unfortunately turned to abuse, and to see that those who choose to do 
drugs do so safely," Herra-Vega said.

According to Rumi, the HRC "neither condemns nor condones drug use. 
We are 100 per cent bipartisan and non-judgmental." He said he 
expects a positive response from the student body, because he 
believes this is an issue that students care about.

SSMU has no official policy on drug use and Herra Vega sees no 
conflict between the HRC's position and the SSMU constitution, noting 
that other services like Queer McGill and SACOMSS also have 
well-defined political agendas.

To begin its outreach, the HRC distributed around 3,000 pamphlets in 
frosh kits with tips for staying safe during frosh week.

The HRC's web site will also feature a guide to harm reduction with 
facts about specific substances as well as personal accounts of 
experiences with drugs.

Rumi also said the Centre will coordinate with the new Canadian 
division of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, an American 
organization that works for the decriminalization of illegal 
substances and lobbies for drug law reform.

"It's obvious that drug prohibition has failed to curb the use of 
drugs in society," he said.

He said that the HRC further aims to integrate students into the 
greater human rights struggle -- specifically, the prevention of HIV 
and at-risk drug use, and the push for change in the United Nations' 
drug policy.

The HRC will have temporary status until November, when SSMU Council 
will review the service's contributions and vote on whether to make 
the HRC a permanent service.

Students are invited to attend HRC's next meeting this Thursday at 5 
p.m. in the Arts Lounge.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine