Harm Minimization Slammed
A powerful US Congressional committee has slammed harm minimisation for illicit drug use.
Programs of injecting rooms and syringe distribution in both the US and Canada have failed to halt the spread of HIV and Hepatitis.
A 1997 study found that frequent attendance at syringe distribution programs by drug users was one of the independent HIV predictors.
HIV and Hepatitis C have reached saturation levels among the injecting drug users in the US and Canada.
Three out of four injecting drug users that were HIV positive admitted borrowing used syringes.
In Canada both syringe distribution and injecting rooms are no go areas for police to catch drug pushers.
There is some possibility that HIV positive injecting drug users could spawn drug resistant strains of HIV.
(Source: Letter of 27/4/2004 from US Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources to US National Institute of Health)
DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-
Australian health authorities have admitted there is an explosion of Hepatitis C which are now at an all time high.
91 percent of new Hepatitis C infections in Australia occur by sharing syringes.
The Australian Health Department predicts there will be half a million Australians infected with Hepatitis C by the year 2020.
Like the US and Canada Australia's syringe distribution programs and injecting rooms are not policed leaving drug pushers free to trade.
THE DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS-
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.
19/2004
