Pubdate: Tue, 02 Oct 2007 Source: Globe and Mail (Canada) Copyright: 2007, The Globe and Mail Company Contact: http://www.globeandmail.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168 Author: Jane McCall HARM INDEED REDUCED Delta, B.C. -- Re Get-Tough Plan On Drugs Doomed, Experts Say (Oct. 1): In Canada, over the past 10 years, the rate of HIV infections attributable to injection drug use has steadily declined, from a high of almost 30 per cent to 10.3 per cent. In the face of continuing unabated illicit drug use, there is only one explanation for this. The spread of needle exchanges across the country has allowed drug users to inject safely, without the fear of contracting HIV or hepatitis C. These statistics are readily available on the Health Canada website. Apparently the federal government, in its rush to formulate policy based on ideology instead of fact, has chosen to ignore its own government department. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman