Pubdate: Wed, 04 Jun 2008
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2008 Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: Victor Godin

A BETTER OPTION THAN INSITE

Re: Drug Law Violates Charter, Court Rules, May 28.

One of the arguments advanced for keeping Vancouver's Insite 
injection site open is that it is said to reduce the risk of 
spreading HIV through shared needles. Yet a more effective, low-cost 
solution is available that does not require a building, a 
bureaucracy, lobby groups and political posturing. It would save 
thousands of lives for pennies each, compared to the $3-million 
Insite budget, which is said to save one "theoretical" life a year.

That solution is the StarSyringe. It was invented by a British man, 
Mark Koska, who reasoned that the solution to the needle-sharing 
problem would be a needle that self-destructs after one use. He 
worked for 17 years before he sold the first one in Africa. His 
company has now sold one billion of its devices in 21 developing 
countries. This inexpensive product, approved by the World Health 
Organization, has helped to save more than five million lives, with 
Uganda cutting its AIDS infection rate in half.

Instead of pandering to the delusion that the entire world is 
breathlessly watching Vancouver's Insite experiment, perhaps B. C. 
politicians might spend a few minutes on research to learn from other 
countries.

In this case, a solution has been found with cheap, self-destructing 
needles that demonstrate solid results, unlike the shabby math and 
questionable science put forward by Insite promoters.

Victor Godin, Vancouver.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom