Pubdate: Wed, 03 Aug 2011
Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB)
Copyright: 2011 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact:  http://www.winnipegsun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/503
Author: Paul Turenne
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)

NO 'SUBSIDIZING ADDICTION'

A seven-year-old program that sees Winnipeg health officials hand out 
free crack-smoking kits to addicts could be reviewed if the Tories 
win October's provincial election.

Ian Rabb, the Tory candidate in Fort Garry-Riverview and a former 
Addictions Foundation of Manitoba board member, said the 
Conservatives need more hard data about the program's success from 
the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority before agreeing to "subsidize 
addiction."

"My concern is the WRHA is paying to subsidize addiction without any 
real benefit," said Rabb, an admitted former crystal meth addict himself.

"Trying to improve public health is important for everyone, not just 
addicts, but we would have to see the public health results," Rabb 
said. "We don't really know until we see more information from the WRHA."

The WRHA began handing out "safer crack kits" in 2004, in an effort 
to prevent the spread of blood-borne diseases like Hepatitis C and 
HIV. The kits contain a Pyrex crack pipe, disposable vinyl pipe tips, 
filters, screens, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) to solidify the drug, and 
an information sheet about how to use the kit.

Rabb would not reveal the Tories' electoral stance on the issue ahead 
of the campaign, but did repeat, "We do not want to subsidize addiction."

Pierre Plourde, medical officer of health with the WRHA, said he's 
very happy with the results of the crack-pipe program and 
"absolutely" recommends it to other cities such as Vancouver, where 
officials there are preparing to start handing out similar 
crack-smoking kits to addicts in that city.

"We follow trends of the diseases like Hepatitis C and HIV in 
drug-using populations, and Winnipeg has been one of the few 
jurisdictions in North America where these diseases have not been 
going up. They have gone up significantly in some other jurisdictions 
where these kits are not being used yet," Plourde said.

"It's hard to attribute cause and effect but we certainly are not 
seeing any major harms and probably seeing significant benefits."

The WRHA gives out roughly 2,000 per month through its Street 
Connections outreach program. Each one costs taxpayers about 60 cents.

"The financial benefits are actually a no-brainer," Plourde said. 
"We're talking 60 cents per crack use kit, multiplied by a couple 
thousand a month. Those costs alone are nothing, are miniscule, 
compared to the cost of treating HIV or Hepatitis C, so every case we 
can prevent is a huge savings to the health care system."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom