Pubdate: Thu, 20 May 2010 Source: Abbotsford News (CN BC) Copyright: 2010 Abbotsford News Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/BkAJKrUD Website: http://www.abbynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1155 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?143 (Hepatitis) NEEDLED INTO ACTION Abbotsford Has One of the Highest Rates of Hepatitis C in the Province. One of the most common ways hep C is contracted is through the use of shared needles by drug users. This city has a zoning bylaw that prohibits "harm reduction" facilities such as safe injection sites and needle exchanges. Could there be a correlation between those facts? Dr. John Farley, a local infectious disease specialist, would likely say yes. He was among speakers at a rally in Abbotsford Tuesday which focused attention on this city's restrictive policies relating to the spread of disease through shared needles. Abbotsford passed its anti-harm reduction bylaw five years ago, with the view that such services would attract more drug users to the community. It's a common, but antiquated, philosophy that extends to a multitude of social issues surrounding society's cast-offs. Denial of key social services such as drug treatment and rehabilitation programs, homeless shelters, food programs, needle exchanges and other harm reduction initiatives, does not result in the magical disappearance of street people and drug users in a community. Such policies do result, however, in a major draw upon public health services, to say nothing of increased human suffering. Over the years, Abbotsford has managed to put aside a number of old stereotypes and attitudes in this respect, recognizing the need and benefits of helping those with mental illness and substance abuse issues. Yet something so simple and effective as a formal needle exchange program remains on the "no-go" list. Time for one more step up onto the high road. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom