Vancouver finds novel way to reduce HIV: free crack pipes

is this support for hard drug use? it is clearly aimed to stop the spread of disease but is that the true goal of this program?

Vancouver finds novel way to reduce HIV: free crack pipes

Determined to halt the spread of diseases in their community, one Canadian neighborhood has adopted a controversial yet effective mitigation program: giving out free crack pipes.

According to The Daily Mail, the Vancouver Coastal Health Harm Reduction organization has created a $60,000 “harm reduction program” aimed at at lowering HIV and Hepatitis B and C infection rates in the city’s downtown area.

Heat-resistant and shatterproof glass pipes have been available for free since December, along with sanitation kits that include mouthpieces, filters, alcohol swabs and metal screens. Experts say these items help reduce injury to the user’s mouth, preventing the transmission of some diseases if the drugs are being shared with others.

In addition to improving the health of crack users, a 2007 study by the International Journal of Drug Policy found that a free crack pipe exchange in Ottawa actually lowered the number of people who were injecting drugs with hypodermic needles — an important driver of HIV transmission.

I think this is a good thing when talking about diseases being spread,
when it comes to Hard drug use and the promotion/support of it this I cannot agree with. surely there is an agenda going to keep open access to these drugs there is a large majority out there who glorify drug use and too little knowledge or support for being sober.

I blow glass and have been asked to make these sort of pipes and although I do not want anyone to get sick Addict or not, I could never support the use of these types of drugs or a program like this spending $60,000 for a “harm reduction program” insane.

Its not support, or endorsing it.
We had something like that here on the other side of canada, where the red cross was giving people needles, so they didn't have to share and spread the disease. Its to keep the spread of HIV on the low. They are people too, regardless of their demons. If they are going to do something, they shouldn't need to risk HIV in the process if we offer a service that helps prevent it.

It works.

The whole Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island is a big huge crack fest.

Canada's best kept secret.

They have mobile needle exchange clinics too, I think it's a good thing because it keeps needles off the streets.

This crack pipe thing will just cause more crack pipes in the streets though.

Stephen Harper won't allow this to go on for much longer.

That's an almost guarantee.

You know, those addicts do not live in a bubble, and the diseases they have get spread to others like their girlfriends, who get pregnant and then the misery spreads even to newborns.

I am one of those oddballs who thinks that personal responsibility is paramount in a person. I do not judge those who use hard drugs, because they are in a hell all their own. On the other hand, I do not support it. As long as they are not behind the wheel or responsible for the safety of others, I figure they will either die or have an epiphany and sober up on their own.

The drug laws are draconian and USELESS. If you are going to legislate morality and create a large public health problem in the process (sharing needles and smoking implements), then it is smart to do "harm reduction".

If it were up to me, everything would be legal. I remember my father saying that, as a boy in Serbia, his grandmother was dying from stomach cancer. He would be dispatched into the hills to collect the dried heads from the poppy flowers, so they could be made into a tea to give his grandmother relief. Everybody knew what the poppies were, and what could be made from them. They were smart enough to use them only medicinally. Those who didn't, and abused, died quickly.

Although I'm not Canadian, I applaud their smart use of tax dollars. Clean crack pipes are much cheaper than a spreading AIDS epidemic that requires years of expensive medications and medical care. One has to let go of the judgment and think about this rationally.

Far from being beneficial, the HIV-AIDS hypothesis has become a threat to public health in the last 10 years: It is the sole basis for (1) the daily treatment of at least 200,000 HIV-positives with cytotoxic DNA chain terminators originally designed to kill growing human cells for chemotherapy, like AZT, that are now prescribed as anti-HIV drugs; (2) the clean-needle programs that encourage intravenous drug use, and the misinformation that HIV-infection is the only health risk of recreational drug use. However, recreational drugs, such as heroin, coc aine, amphetamines and nitrite inhalants, have long been known to have immunotoxic, cytotoxic and/or carcinogenic effects; and (3) the anxiety and the many restrictions of human rights associated with a positive HIV-test.

www.duesberg.com...

Maybe we can reduce suicide by encouraging murder. Maybe we can reduce theft by simply doing away with property rights. Maybe we can reduce paranoia simply by confirming that all our fears are founded.

reply to post by FissionSurplus


I agree I do not judge anyone for their demons addiction is hard, but i think there are much better things we could be diong to help these people 60k to just hand out pipes, that i see as enabling we could take these people in with a bait and switch you want a free crack pipe then you have to stay here and go through a process register with us and at least try to quit... do you want to quit we can help sometimes its as simple as someone just needing support to get out of the situation their in sometimes the person doesn't want out I don't see any good helping the people who don't want help that includes giving them clean materials to use with.

its a tough situation I do support the effort to try and keep people disease free but a crack head is going to do one thing and that's crack. today he might have a free clean pipe but tomorrow is always a diff story,, there must be a better way to spend this money to help addicts.

could somebody cue me in on how in the hell, aids is spread via crack pipes???

these are oral crack pipes, right? or have drugs evolved?

am i missing something here?

Originally posted by baphomet420
could somebody cue me in on how in the hell, aids is spread via crack pipes???

these are oral crack pipes, right? or have drugs evolved?

am i missing something here?

Less people use the needles, when the pipes are available, thus less transmission of diseases.

Our government would prefer to keep us healthy up here, if we had lots of hiv, aids, hepatitus, etc, it would cost a fortune for our medical system. They are heavily invested in preventative ideas.

Remember the government (our taxes) pay for our healthcare.

As a resident of the lower mainland, i do not for one second agree with them spending my money this way. To give them a way to smoke there drug, still doesn't mean they have a way to get it.

You see as a resident I know exactly how they do it, see most are prostitutes, the rest are zombie junkies. Now the prostitutes we all know how they get there money, but the zombie junkies are a whole other story. These people commit crime to get there money, be it breaking into cars (has happened to me twice), breaking into houses (once), robbing work job sites (5+ times), stealing copper as well as many other petty crimes, and to top it off selling the drugs and collecting off there own filthy cohorts to keep there pathetic existences going.

I agree our drug laws are draconian. but I feel coddling these people is not going to get us anywhere. Where I live we have really no consequences for doing drugs, the slap on the wrist revolving door policy is disregarded by the drug users. They know that in all, they're going to get fed and a roof for a couple days so now they don't even arrest them.

As for helping the spread of disease well yes these might help do that, and take the burden off the taxpayer a little bit for the health care in treating this enabled part of my society.

But it is not a solution, people are still going to use alternative methods when they're holed up in the alley ways or the nearest flop house. There still going to have sores all over there lips and face from the hard drug use. These open sores are still going to spread disease, because as I said these people are zombies, the hit matters not how they get it, or inhale it, just get it.

We changed the speed in the Down town East Side (DTES) from 50km/h to 30km/h because these people walk into traffic on a regular basis, we do have a shooting gallery for junkies as well where my dollars pay for needles and treatment on site, they have in the work if not already in place a smoking room for junkies to go smoke.

Vancouver placates this type of behaviour it's big money for all those involved in the treatment and facilitation of these types of seedy people in my society. I think harm reduction is the wrong phrase, how are they reducing anything if they are just enabling these people to continue there ways for even longer. Not healthy at all, if anything just more wasted on the drugs they bought with my hammer drill, and skill saw.

Whens the day going to come when there's a free flat a week for every working taxpayer, helping me save $60 a week is going to help, me, my wallet, and those who watch hockey with me stay healthy a lot longer. Too bad I pay taxes, work six days a week, contribute to society, and am caucasian all of which is not a hot button topic in our society.

So I fear the only thing i'm gonna get for free anytime soon is four more years of Stephan Harper, royally shafted on a regular basis, and the pride that knowing some scabby crackhead just got a free hooter to help em live longer yippee