Vancouver drug control strategy calls for free crack pipes

[Playinghardball]

Source: Raw Story
By Stephen C. Webster

Tags: cocaine consumption, drug control strategy, needle exchange programThe city of Vancouver is set to launch a novel approach to drug control by giving away free crack pipes in hopes of better connecting drug addicts with health workers, according to the Canadian Press.

People addicted to crack-cocaine typically smoke it out of glass tubes, which can sometimes be hard to come by. The program aims at reducing the risk of HIV and hepatitis among crack users, which tends to be elevated thanks to shared pipes.

The city's health authority already offers free mouthpieces, but they're seen as less effective at harm reduction because they're difficult to remove.

The program closely mirrors a needle exchange program the city has set up. Drug reform advocates there are also pushing for a safe injection zone that would give heroin addicts a place they can go to dose themselves, where health workers are on site to provide clean medical supplies and respond to overdoses.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/08/01/vancouver-drug-control-strategy-calls-for-free-crack-pipes/

[Warpy]

1. They need to hand out Bleach Man comics with the needles and pipes

We noticed a drop in HIV cases when they started to do that in Boston.

Working with addicts to reduce public health problems works one hell of a lot better than trying to round them up and warehouse them in prisons.