Pubdate: Mon, 22 Oct 2007
Source: Varsity, The (CN ON Edu)
Copyright: 2007 The Varsity
Contact:  http://www.thevarsity.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2663
Author: Allison Martell
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)

NEW FEDERAL DRUG PLAN A GIVE-AND-TAKE

Increased Treatment Funding And Awareness Campaign May Mean Cutbacks 
To Harm Reduction Programs

Unveiling his National Anti-Drug Strategy in early October, Health 
Minister Tony Clement and Prime Minister Harper promised mandatory 
prison sentences for serious drug offences, a national awareness 
campaign targeted at youth, and more funding for drug treatment, but 
did not promise funding for harm reduction programs. This, combined 
with the government's promise to "refocus" existing drug programs, 
has many worried about cuts to existing programs.

Harm reduction aims to reduce the impact of drug use without forcing 
users to stop using drugs completely. Initiatives can include needle 
exchanges, methadone programs, and safe injection sites like the 
pilot Insite in Vancouver.

"The reality is that some people cannot or will not stop using 
drugs," said the AIDS Committee of Toronto, in response to Harper's 
new strategy. They argue that too much focus on punishment and 
abstinence will increase the rates of HIV and overdosing. World 
Health Organization studies show that needle exchange programs reduce 
HIV/ AIDS infection rates among injection drug users. But Harper 
still insists that he is going after dealers, not users.

"Our message is clear: drugs are dangerous and destructive," he said. 
"If drugs do get hold of you-there's help to get you off them. And if 
you sell or produce drugs-you'll pay with jail time."

It's not that simple, according to Diane Riley, Associate Member of 
the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of 
Toronto, and founder of the International Harm Reduction Association.

"Lots of users have to be small-time dealers to survive," she said. 
"And at the same time the government is doing this, arrests for 
simple possession for marijuana have more than doubled, if not 
tripled, in the last year."

Riley appreciates that the strategy puts extra money into treatment, 
but she also argues that there needs to be greater choice of 
treatment to better suit specific users.

"I think people have to remember that harm reduction is secondary 
prevention, so we have to emphasize that with the Harper government," 
she said. "You're funding prevention, so be sure to fund primary, 
secondary and tertiary prevention."

An international expert on harm reduction, Riley has long been 
frustrated by the attitude towards drug policy reform put forward by 
both Conservative and Liberal governments. She also suggested that 
there is also more that U of T could do.

"I've offered to teach a course on harm reduction, which I've been 
teaching at York, and U of T is not interested," she said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom