INJECTING DRUGS LEADS TO HIV AND HEPATITIS C
A survey in Canada has shown that 97 per cent of young injecting drug users in Vancouver are infected with HIV and/or Hepatitis C.
Coinfected young people had a median age of only 24 years.
Most coinfected young people had been injecting drugs for only a few years, on average seven years.
Most at risk were young women and individuals of aboriginal decent.
Sixty three per cent of coinfected young women were involved in the sex trade.
Sharing syringes was the major cause of the coinfection.
(Source: Europe Against Drugs 25 May 2004)
DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA COMMENTS
This coinfection of both blood borne diseases is at saturation levels similar to the position here in Australia.
Providing free syringes to injecting drug users does NOT stop the sharing of syringes and the spread of diseases.
Australia must follow other overseas countries that use their courts to divert injecting drug users into detoxification and rehabilitation to get users drug free.
This information must encourage Australia to target our risk groups of women in the sex trade and Australian aboriginals that are at risk.
Aboriginal leaders are concerned that ten per cent of newly reported cases of Hepatitis C were aboriginal Australians (fact sheet 33/2004).
Maintaining injecting drug use by providing injecting rooms and free syringes assists in spreading blood borne diseases.
More detoxification & rehabilitation that gets illicit drug users drug free.
Court ordered and supervised detoxification & rehabilitation.
Less illicit drug users, drug pushers and drug related crimes.
35/2004