Pubdate: Sat, 08 Oct 2011
Source: London Free Press (CN ON)
Copyright: 2011 Cassandra Paget
Contact: http://www.lfpress.com/comment/letters/write/
Website: http://www.lfpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/243
Author: Cassandra Paget

SUCCESS OF INSITE SHOWS IT CAN CONTROL ILLEGAL DRUGS

Regarding the article Heroin centre said best means to monitor use (Oct. 1).

I think we have come a long way to even consider the idea of 
prescription heroin, as Dr. Julio Montaner suggests.

Montaner would like to make the Vancouver drug-injection centre 
Insite the first free heroin distribution centre in North America. 
While I have conflicted feelings about handing out free heroin, I 
would like to see more injection clinics opened up in other major 
cities like London. As a society we can no longer deny that illegal 
drug use does not exist.

Having these clinics is all part of a health promotion concept that 
is called harm reduction. The research in general shows people 
experience less violence and have less health-related issues when 
involved in programs like needle exchange. Specifically, the 
injection centre in Vancouver has shown a 35% reduction in overdose mortality.

These centres are the future in being able to control illegal drug 
use and increase this vulnerable population's health.

Cassandra Paget

Ingersoll
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