Drug Prevention Network of Canada

FROM DPNC BOARD MEMBER, AL ARSENAULT

Portugal is hardly the resounding success that the drugs liberalising lobby would have us believe

Sir, That fewer young people are trying drugs in Portugal may be the case (“Radical drug law could be imported to Britain”, April 22). But this simply reflects a Europe-wide trend, nowhere more evident than in the United Kingdom. The alarming Europe-wide increase in young people’s illicit drug use between 1995 and 2003 has come to a halt and is decreasing — in Portugal by rather less than the European average.

The picture painted by your report is less rosy overall when the data is examined fully. For according to Portugal’s Special Registry of the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, there has actually been an increase in Portugal’s drug-related deaths since decriminalisation was enacted, from 280 in 2001 to 314 in 2007. In well over half of these cases, opiates or opiates in combination with other substances (mainly cocaine or alcohol) were cited as the main substance involved.

Furthermore Portugal has been the only European country to show a significant increase in [drug-related] homicides between 2001 and 2006, by 40 per cent over a five-year period (2009 UNODC World Drug Report).

Finally, Portugal’s Instituto da Droga e da Toxicodependência reports that the overall prevalence of life time drug use increased from 7.8 per cent to 12.0 per cent in the period from 2001 to 2007, cocaine more than doubling and ecstasy close to doubling, with the prevalence of heroin abuse up from 0.7 per cent of the adult population to 1.1 per cent in the same period.

As to the decreases in new cases of HIV/Aids, not only is this also in line with a Western European trend but it is just as, if not more, plausible to associate this with Portugal’s annual increases in funding for treatment, detox and harm reduction than with the act of decriminalisation per se.

Portugal is hardly the resounding success that the drugs liberalising lobby would have us believe. And if it is what they are relying on to convert politicians and public to their cause it makes for a poor case.

Kathy Gyngell
Research Fellow, Centre for Policy Studies

Neil McKeganey
Professor of Drug Misuse, Centre for Drug Misuse Research, University of Glasgow

Mary Brett
Trustee, Cannabis Skunk Sense

THE IDENTICAL LETTER WAS SENT AS WELL TO THE GLOBE AND MAL
April 18, 2011

Letter to the Editor
The National Post
300 – 1450 Don Mills Road
Don Mills, Ontario M3B 3R5
Fax 416-383-2305

Dear Sir,

The leaders of the harm reduction movement, psychologists Dr. Thomas Kerr and Dr. Julio Montaner and Dr. Evan Wood, a health specialist, have written yet another advocacy study in promotion of the Vancouver drug injection site (National Post, April 18, 2011).

None of these individuals are drug treatment specialists. They are, however, the authors of over two dozen advocacy research papers on the site – with everyone showing positive results.

Their studies have long been criticized for the methodological and analytical problems.

Consequently, it is not surprising that the Government of British Columbia Selected Vital Statistics and Health Status Indicators, Annual Reports, states that the number of deaths from drug overdose in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside has increased each year (with one exception) since the site opened in 2003 in relation to drug overdose results in the rest of the province. There were 28 deaths in 2003, 32 in 2004, 37 in 2005, 38 in 2006, 46 in 2007, 24 in 2008 and 40 in 2009. In fact, according to the Canadian Community Epidemiology Network in Drug Use, Downtown Eastside residents in 2006 experienced a 33% higher death rate than the rest of the province.

It is far more compassionate and just to provide drug addicts with treatment and hope, rather than to deepen their addiction by a drug injection site which leads only to their inevitable and unenviable deaths.

Yours truly,

C. Gwendolyn Landolt
President
Drug Prevention Network of Canada
905-787-0348 – Office
905-889-1993 – Residence
F: 905-770-1117
Email: realwcto@interlog.com

From the desk of DPNC Board member, Andy Bigras

When Nick Bala started chemotherapy, he asked his doctor for something to help with the nausea and vomiting that followed each treatment.

After about four months, Bala asked his doctor for a prescription for medicinal marijuana.

“I found that it made a huge difference to the nausea,” Bala said Wednesday. “For me and many other people, it made chemotherapy much more bearable. It’s very important this be made available to people who are suffering.”

An Ontario court ruling this week may make that reality sooner rather than later.

An Ontario Superior Court judge found marijuana cultivation and usage laws unconstitutional and gave the federal government three months to respond to the decision.

But Bala isn’t leaping for joy yet, knowing that the government may appeal the ruling.

“This could be before the courts for years,” said Bala, a law professor at Queen’s University.

On Monday, the Ontario Superior Court declared the rules that govern medical marijuana access and the prohibitions laid out in sections 4 and 7 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act “constitutionally invalid and of no force and effect,” effectively paving the way for legalization. If the government does not respond within 90 days with a successful delay or re-regulation of marijuana, the drug will be legal to possess and produce in Ontario, where the decision is binding.

The ruling stemmed from the constitutional challenge of Matthew Mernagh, a man who relies on medical marijuana to ease pain brought on by fibromyalgia, scoliosis, seizures and depression.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

Thanks to Board member, Al Arsenault

Published: Saturday, April 09, 2011, Press and Guide – Dearborn, MI

The city’s chief judge last month made a ruling that could have big implications for the state’s two-year-old medical marijuana law.

In an order denying a motion to dismiss a possession of marijuana case, Judge Mark Somers wrote, “This court finds that in consequence of the lawful designation of marijuana as a Schedule I narcotic under the Controlled Substances Act, the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act is rendered unconstitutional and void in its entirety by operation of the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution.”

The Controlled Substance Act is a federal statute that classifies drugs into five categories, known as schedules, based on their potential for abuse. Schedule I drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine and LSD, are considered to be the most addictive and are not legal to prescribe.

The case stems from a traffic stop in January 2010. Dearborn police cited the defendant, Robert Brandon, for illegal possession of marijuana and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to court documents.

Brandon tried to have the case dismissed four months later based on the grounds that, after he was ticketed, he saw a doctor who issued him a “physician’s certification” for medical marijuana to treat chronic back pain. Doctor’s can’t legally prescribe medical marijuana so, under the Michigan law, a physician’s certification is the terminology used.

Somers questioned the legitimacy of the claim, however, noting that Brandon’s doctor only met with Brandon for about 20 minutes before writing the certification, did not perform any physical examination, and had no previous patient-doctor relationship, which is part of the criteria for medical marijuana certification.

Moreover, Somers wrote, Brandon’s certification came after the traffic stop, meaning that it couldn’t be used as a defense.

But what was most significant in the order was that Somers, an outspoken critic of marijuana and skeptic of the medical marijuana law, declared the medical marijuana law void. The case is scheduled for a pretrial conference April 12.

Somers declined comment Thursday because the case remains pending. The city’s chief judge last month made a ruling that could have big implications for the state’s two-year-old medical marijuana law.

In an order denying a motion to dismiss a possession of marijuana case, Judge Mark Somers wrote, “This court finds that in consequence of the lawful designation of marijuana as a Schedule I narcotic under the Controlled Substances Act, the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act is rendered unconstitutional and void in its entirety by operation of the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution.”

The medical marijuana law has been a legal quagmire since Michigan voters adopted it in 2008. Because marijuana remains illegal under federal law, local governmental bodies in Michigan have been forced to interpret how to apply it.

Somers’ ruling doesn’t mandate Dearborn’s two other district judges to take the same view.

Insite
A Chair Missing Three of Its Legs

By a 15-year Old Girl
November 8, 2009

Outline
I. Introduction
Thesis- The Safe Injection Site (Insite) in Vancouver uses money to supply a clean and safe environment for drug addicts to inject themselves with illegal substances. The money used to run this facility would be better spent on treatment.
II. Downtown East Side
A. History
B. Why Downtown East Side?
i) The Addictions
III. The Health of Drug Addicts
A. Physical Effects
i) Internal Damage
ii) Tolerance Building
B. Emotional Effects
i) Brain Chemical Imbalances
ii) Emotional Cycles
IV. Criticisms of Insite
A. What is Insite?
B. Unsuitable Way of Treatment
C. The Failed Four Pillars Approach
D. The Budget for Insite
V. Conclusion
Most people pay taxes, and others have jobs. Most people are responsible, contributing citizens of society. Drug addicts however, are not like most people. They have addictions that are so strong that it consumes their entire life. It does not matter if they once had jobs or have families. All that matters is the drug that is slowly killing them. Every waking second is about their next fix. Drugs are poisons that are derived from plant defence mechanisms called psychoactive alkaloids. These were used to ward off the herbivores. When the herbivore eats the plant, they experience the “high” and stay away from it. Yet addicts want this feeling, they need it to dull the pain and the loneliness they feel. It is illogical and unnatural, but it is an issue around the world, especially in the Downtown East Side in Vancouver. The Safe Injection Site (Insite) in Vancouver uses money to supply a clean and safe environment for drug addicts to inject themselves with illegal substances. The money used to run this facility would be better spent on treatment.
Originally, Gastown was a thriving industrial community complete with sawmills, great transportation, a main library, a city hall, banks, hotels and theatres. But, like all good things, it came to an end: in the late 60’s businesses re-located, decreasing the economy’s productivity. When less and less people walked through the Downtown East Side, the other community centers like the library and the theatres followed suit. The following decade, most people with mental health issues could not afford housing anywhere else but the Downtown East Side due to supply and demand. Soon after, many drug addicts and dealers called the Downtown East Side their home. In the late 80’s heroin, the drug of choice at the time, changed to cocaine, a highly addictive drug. Drug addicts living in the Downtown East Side had to support their habit somehow, and they did this by stealing. Due to the increase in robberies, the only businesses that made a profit were second hand shops that bought the stolen items. This made legitimate businesses hard to come by. In the 90`s, almost all of the businesses had moved elsewhere, leaving a poor, poverty-stricken, highly unemployed, and addicted Downtown East Side behind.
The problems in downtown Vancouver did not get any better, nor did the health of the drug addicts residing there. The health of drug addicts who use cocaine and methamphetamines ranges from ear, nose and throat problems such as bronchitis, bleeding, sinusitis and coughing up mucus and blood to unhealthy weight loss due to higher than normal metabolisms, and everything in between. Drug addicts either sleep too much or too little, have periods when they feel they have extreme strength which could cause injuries, teeth problems, vomiting, seizures, irregular breathing, haemorrhaging (bleeding of the brain), and the list goes on. What makes the addictions maintain in severity is tolerance building. This occurs as an addict needs more and more of their drug of choice to feel `normal`. However, drugs do not limit themselves to destroying the physical health of the user, they affect the mental health as well.
Drugs change responses of brain chemicals called nero-transmitters. They do this by causing the brain to release too much or too little of these chemicals. Vital nero- transmitters that are affected by drugs are as follows; norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine. Norepinephrine and dopamine is adrenaline, and too much of it that is released can result in a more violent behaviour. Serotonin, also called 5-hydroxytryptamine is responsible for the high. This nero- transmitter constricts the blood vessels, making the user feel ‘happy’. Acetylcholine or ACH relays information between nerve cells in the brain, effecting the physical movement. Drugs that take a shorter time to affect the brain do so because they are similar size and shape to the normal brain`s nero-transmitters. The ingested drugs take about twenty to thirty minutes, whereas injected drugs take only fifteen to thirty seconds. A marijuana high can last up to several hours, whereas a cocaine high, lasts about an hour. While all of the brain chemical changes are taking place, the drug addict feels euphoric. He or she thinks that they are on top of the world, can do anything they want. Any pain or loneliness they feel, diminishes. Unfortunately for the addict, that joy comes to an end, and is followed by extreme depression. Wanting to feel that sense of euphoria again, the addict buys more drugs and shoots up. This vicious cycle continues to occur until the addict can get their next fix, until he/she can feel happy again, until he/she walks across the street, opens the door the Safe Injection Site, sits in a comfortable cubby, is supplied a clean needle, and is able to shoot up while a nurse is watching him to make sure he is safe so he/she can do it all over again the next day.
The Safe Injection Site opened its doors in June of 2003, when Health Canada granted Vancouver Coastal Health an exemption from section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA). This led to North America`s first Supervised Injection Site, otherwise known as Insite. It is located on 139 Hastings Street in the Downtown East Side. Insite is open from ten in the morning to four in the afternoon, seven days a week. Around 650 drug addicts use Insite each day. This means 650 human beings who desperately need support and help continue to shoot up, easily forgetting about what they really need, which is treatment. The high they experience is more important than anything else; it makes them feel good, so why should they stop? They are getting what they want, which is their drug of choice and the ability to use it. Insite only provides the ability to use the drugs safely.
Insite is only focussed on harm reduction. It is quite clear that Insite does not provide the four pillars approach. It has failed to supply the other three key pillars; prevention, treatment, and enforcement. Insite itself is the complete opposite of prevention. By letting addicts shoot up, they are allowing this behaviour. As for enforcement, making it legal to use drugs in Insite is most definitely not enforcing the law. As for treatment, that`s a big one. Drug specialists say that the best way for someone to get clean is to take the temptation away. Again, Insite is doing the exact opposite by enabling drug addicts to use without any consequences or second guesses.
Tony Cement, Canada`s former Health Minister is against Insite. He said “Advocates have given an overly rosy picture of the Vancouver facility, which focuses on `harm reduction` by letting addicts shoot up and receive medical help in a safe, clean environment.“ He said that treatment is key in the solving the issue. Clement continued by saying “The best way to reduce harm is to get addicts off drugs and to provide supports for that addict.“ Due to the fact that Insite was so controversial, Tony Clement had a committee issue a study. This committee found that Insite only had five percent of the Downtown East Side`s addicts actually using it. This concludes that Insite is not helping most of the addicts living in the Downtown East Side to kick their habit.
Addicts can have a moment of wanting treatment, but when they hear it can take anywhere from one week to four weeks for a detox bed, the moment often vanishes. It does not make any sense that while an addict has to wait for treatment, they can go shoot up at Insite any time. Insite makes it easier for addicts to continue to use because if they were caught on the streets using drugs, then they would be either fined or arrested, whereas in the safety of Insite, drug addicts are free to use without any consequences. The whole point of making something illegal is to make people not want to do it, or at least make it harder for them to do it. The drug addict using Insite may not think of his/her addiction as big a deal that needs fixing, but instead a normal way of life.
If the four pillars approach clearly states that treatment is part of it, then why would a drug addict have to wait for treatment? Because most of the funding is being put towards Insite, leaving little for treatment facilities and detox beds. So little in fact, that British Columbia, with 8,000 addicts, has only one hundred detox beds. Patti Smith, a worker at Vancouver Native Health said; “We need to be able to respond to these people the minute there is a window. They`re taking responsibility and we need to acknowledge it right away.“ So, prevention, enforcement, and especially treatment are not receiving the attention they deserve. Let`s compare Insite; a clean, chic setting complete with a coffee bar and background music to one of the very few detox beds; a dingy, unwelcoming facility that you have to wait for days to enter. As a drug addict, which would you rather be in? People do what is easiest for them. Why wouldn’t they continue to do something that makes them feel euphoric, at least part of the time, when the alternative would be a dull and boring place? Treatment must be appealing to use. John Turvey, a founder of a needle exchange noted “They`re jumping all over this Safe Injection Site and forgetting about the treatment programs that were supposed to go with it. What about abstinence and the 12-steps?“
Not only does Insite fail the four pillars approach, but it costs a lot of tax dollars to do it. The budget for Insite is three-point-five to four million dollars a year. This tax money should not go towards allowing and enabling drug addicts to use, but rather to treatment centers. Wasn’t that the whole point of Insite? Once informed of ‘treatment options’ addicts are supposed to go to treatment. But they don’t because there are not many treatment beds available. Insite is giving no hope to those who desperately want to overcome their addiction, but cannot because of the lack of funding. The main purpose of Insite is to decrease the amount of sharing needles. Yet 40% of regular Insite users who have AIDS still share needles. Money being put towards Insite for that purpose is being wasted, because the addicts who are informed about the dangers of needle-sharing do not get the message.
It is very surprising that despite Insite`s many problems, it continues to run to this day. Giving needles to drug addicts is like putting out a forest fire with a garden hose. It just will not work. The prioritizing of the four pillars approach is all wrong, and shows that we as a community accept drug use. Insite seems to be more about sustaining the addicts’ lifestyle, than about ending their addictions. Addicts will not own up or admit they need help, especially when a neighbourhood sets up a place where they can shoot up. These addicts need help, but it should not come in the form of a free needle. Some addicts will continue to use this debilitating program until they die. Mahatma Gandhi put it well when he said; “ Recall the face of the poorest and most helpless man who you may have seen and ask yourself if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him. Will he be able to gain anything by it? Will it restore him to a control over his own life and destiny?“ This quote can be applied to drug addicts. They are some of the poorest and most helpless of people, due to their overwhelming and negatively life-altering addictions. We offer Insite, but users will not gain anything by continuing to use drugs, and supplying them with needles to do so will not give them control over their life. The bottom line is that no matter how clean a needle is, it is still a needle that injects drugs into a person, continuing a deadly cycle that keeps their addiction, an addiction. Isn’t that exactly the opposite of what everyone wants for these people?

Bibliography
1. Allred, Alexandra. Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs. United States of America: Perfection Learning, 2005.
2. Bayer, Linda, PH.D. Crack and Cocaine. United Sates of America: Chelsea House Publishers, 2000.
3. Carmichael, Amy. “Vancouver’s Safe Site Popular With Junkies.” The Toronto Star 26 Dec. 2003. Print.
4. http://www.emedicinehealth.com/cocaineabuse/page3_em.htm
5. http://helpguide.org/mental/drug_substance_abuse_addiction_signs_effects_treatment.htm
6. Hurley, Jenifer A. Addiction: Opposing Viewpoints. California: Greenhaven Press Inc., 2000.
7. Levitz, Stephanie. “Vancouver safe-injection site can operate until June under six-month extension.” The Canadian Press 02 Oct. 2007. Print.

8. Munoz, Mercedes and Courtwright, David. What Causes Addiction? California: Thomson Gale, 2005.
9. http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=14345
10. http://nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=497292.
11. http://www.realjustice.ca/articles/071002Tonner.htm
12. “RE; Injection Site gets Extension:.” Letter to Editor of the Vancouver Sun,. 02 Sept. 2006. MS.
13. Schwartzenberger, Tina. Substance Use and Abuse. New York: Weigl Publishers Inc., 2007.
14. http://supervisedinjection.vch.ca/faq.htm
15. O’Neill, Terry. “No Quick Fix.” National Edition 16 Jan. 2002: P24. Print.
16. http://vancouver.ca/COMMSVCS/PLANNING/dtes/communityhistory.htm
17. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insite#Support_and_criticism
18. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_east_side#History.

FROM DPNC BOARD MEMBER, AL ARSENAULT

SAN DIEGO — The ease in which local teens are obtaining pot is being blamed on medical marijuana cards, and both sides of the marijuana dispensary debate acknowledge it is a growing problem.

Read the full story and watch the video: http://www.10news.com/news/27378646/detail.html

FROM DPNC BOARD MEMBER, AL ARSENAULT

Vancouver’s past Mayors have jetted over to the countries in Europe with the highest rates of drug use and ignored the great job Sweden has done. They’ve flown addicts stuck in their active addiction to advise parliament on how to solve drug addiction. Both actions are useless. “They’ll use drugs anyways so we’ll just show them how to do it safely” is a misguided Harm Reduction approach that is failing through their unwillingness to be judgmental about an addict’s drug use. I am not judgmental about WHO they are as people or WHY they chose to use drugs, rather we owe it to them as kind, compassionate, and connected people (to treatment and other services designed to get then off of drugs) to let them know that their drug addiction is hurting themselves, their families, and society in general…I applaud this good news!

Al

White House Drug Policy Director Kerlikowske Meets with Swedish Counterdrug Officials; Cites Sweden’s Drug Control Policies as Model for U.S.
Vienna, Austria—Today, Gil Kerlikowske, Director of U.S. National Drug Control Policy, met with high-level counterdrug officials representing the Kingdom of Sweden to discuss areas of mutual interest. Both nations not only support the integrity of the United Nations’ existing framework for global drug control efforts, they further share a drug policy that stresses a comprehensive public health and safety approach. Director Kerlikowske also highlighted both nations’ common experiences with drug use, and showcased Sweden’s successful balanced public health approach and opposition to drug legalization as a model for the United States.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, compared to many of its European counterparts which have experienced sharp increases in drug use, Sweden is a notable exception. The most recent data show prevalence rates for cocaine use in Sweden are barely one-fifth of European neighbors such as the United Kingdom and Spain (0.6 percent vs. 3.0 percent). Additionally, as the U.N. notes, drug use levels among students in Sweden are lower than in the early 1970s. Life-time prevalence and regular marijuana and cocaine use among students and among the general population are considerably lower than many European neighbors. In addition, bucking the trend in many European nations, drug abuse has declined in Sweden over the last decade. Kerlikowske visited Stockholm, Sweden in May of 2010.

“History has taught both of our nations that we must support robust and comprehensive drug policies which recognize we cannot arrest our way out of the drug problem and that drug addiction as a disease of the brain. We are proud of our strong partnership with Sweden in supporting balanced drug strategies guided by science and research and opposing drug legalization, both within Europe and around the world,” said Director Kerlikowske. “Sweden’s commitments to drug education, treatment for drug addicts, and enforcement efforts have led to significant decreases in drug use over the past three decades, and serve as a successful model for our efforts in the United States. We look forward to continuing our partnership and sharing our common experiences with other nations now grappling with drug use and its consequences.”

Despite some increases in drug use over the past year, the overall demand for drugs in the United States has dropped dramatically over the past thirty years. In response to comprehensive efforts to address drug use at the local, state, Federal, and international levels, the number of Americans using illicit drugs today is roughly half the rate it was in the late 70’s. More recently, there has been a 46 percent drop in cocaine use among young adults over the past five years, and a 65 percent drop in the rate of people testing positive for cocaine in the workplace since 2006. In Colombia – the source of the vast majority of U.S.-bound cocaine – the amount of the drug produced over the past decade has also plummeted by almost two-thirds, significantly adding stress to the domestic U.S. drug market.

Last year, the Obama Administration announced an unprecedented government-wide public health approach to reduce drug use and its consequences in the United States. This effort includes funding demand reduction programs by over $10 billion, placing a heavier emphasis on early intervention programs in health settings, aligning criminal justice policies and public health systems to divert non-violent drug offenders into treatment instead of jail, expanding access to substance abuse treatment, and supporting international allies working to disrupt the flow of drugs to the United States.

For more information visit:
www.WhiteHouseDrugPolicy.gov

The Office of National Drug Control Policy seeks to foster healthy individuals and safe communities by effectively leading the Nation’s effort to reduce drug use and its consequences.

To see the press release go to http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/news/press11/032111.html

THE FOLLOWING WAS SENT FROM THE DESK OF DPNC PRESIDENT GWEN LANDOLT

Dear Colleagues,

The harm reduction people appear to be endorsing a conference on children presented by The RCMP and the City of Stratford, Ontario (see attached).

Their support of this conference may be due to the fact that I understand that they are very concerned about the UN convention on the Rights of the Child, which provides in Article 33 that children must be protected from the illicit use of drugs.

The harm reduction people are trying to put a spin on this by trying to diminish the importance of this provision. They argue that drug dealing is a source of income and survival in some children in the developing world and drug law enforcement exposes these children to significant violence. They argue that the police are the only contact that street children have with the state and that the police are a source of fear to them, hence drug enforcement is a danger to these children. They recommend that police attention be redirected.

This argument was presented at the UN Human Rights Council meeting this month by the International Harm Reduction Association.

With all best wishes,

Gwen

2011 Ontario Drug Endangered Children Conference

Stratford, Ontario
May 24 and 25, 2011

Presented by the Drugs and Organized Crime Awareness Unit (RCMP) and the City of Stratford

The goal of the Conference is to provide community partners with current, timely, relevant and valuable information about Drug Endangered Children, with an emphasis on the latest research and best practice strategies.

To register and get full information on the conference, please see:
http://www.city.stratford.on.ca/odecconf/index.html

——————————————————————————–

FROM THE DESK OF GWEN LANDOLT, DPNC PRESIDENT:

Dear Colleagues,

Attached for your information is an outline of a course on Harm Reduction (117 hours) offered at York University in Toronto.

It’s purpose is to provide service providers, administrators and policy makers information on the principles of harm reduction and mobilize support for and developing harm reduction programs in communities and institutions.

The National Harm Reduction Program Advisory Committee assisted in the preparation of this program.

The Advisory Committee consists of participants in the promotion of drug use from across Canada.

With all best wishes,

Gwen

Certificate in Harm Reduction
Division of Continuing Education, York University, Toronto, Canada

The Certificate in Harm Reduction consists of 117 hours of instruction (3 courses in total) and is designed to introduce service providers, administrators and policy makers to the principles, concepts and practices of harm reduction; to provide an opportunity to critically examine examples of harm reduction work; and to become familiar with strategies for mobilizing support for and developing harm reduction programs in communities and institutions.

Course #1: Theory and History of Harm Reduction (offered on-line), commencing April 26, 2010

Course #2: Harm Reduction Policies and Strategies (offered over 5 full days)

Course #3: Harm Reduction Programs and Practice (offered over 5 full days), commencing June 21, 2010

Upon successful completion of all three courses the participant is awarded a Certificate in Harm Reduction.

A National Harm Reduction Program Advisory Committee assisted in the development of the curriculum for this Program, and we wish to thank them for their contributions.

THIS ITEM COMES TO US FROM FROM DRUG FREE AMERICA AND THE INSTITUTE ON GLOBAL DRUG POLICY, THANKS TO DPNC MEMBER AL ARSENAULT.

February 25, 2011
For Immediate Release
For More Information Contact: Lana Beck (727) 828-0211 or (727) 403-7571

Anti-Drug Proponents Outraged By White House Redistributing Funding From Effective, Evidence-Based Drug Treatment for Dubious Needle Exchange Programs

(St. Petersburg, FL) Last week, the Obama Administration decided to allow federal funding intended for drug treatment to be used to give away free needles to intravenous drug users. The Surgeon General deems this a new treatment for addicts, despite scientific evidence to the contrary. This irresponsible decision leaves many drug policy and prevention experts scratching their heads.

‘Whatever one may think about the debate over needle exchange as a public health measure, it’s absurd and insulting to call it treatment,” said Calvina Fay, Executive Director of Drug Free America Foundation. “At a time when states such as Illinois are slashing drug treatment budgets, should precious treatment resources be diverted to giving out free syringes to people who are engaging in illegal activity?”

“Study after study has shown needle exchange programs to be ineffective at reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS,” commented Dr. Eric Voth, Chair of the Institute on Global Drug Policy. “If our goal is to reduce harm associated with drug abuse, there are plenty of effective harm reduction tactics out there. Some examples of these strategies are drug courts, best practices treatment programs, 12 step organizations, and methadone or other legally prescribed opioid substitution programs with the goal of ending drug use.”

“In this era of limited funds, the government would be wise to invest available resources in the arena of prevention and active addiction treatment. Funding needle exchanges supports the failure of our attempts to promote a drug free society. More simply put, needle exchanges promote harm while prevention and active treatment reduce the harms of the addiction epidemic,” noted Dr. David Gross, Chair of the International Scientific and Medical Forum on Drug Abuse.

“This Administration has proposed almost nothing new in drug treatment or prevention, and the President has barely mentioned any concerns regarding these issues, yet after two years one of the first times the Administration gets the Health and Human Services Surgeon General to pay attention to this – it is to get them to promote needle distribution.,” said Fay. “Where are their priorities?”

If you would like to set up an interview about this issue with Calvina Fay or other experts, please contact Lana Beck at (727) 828-0211 or (727) 403-7571. If you would like more information about this topic, please visit www.dfaf.org. To access scientific studies on this subject, visit www.globaldrugpolicy.org.

Drug Free America Foundation, Inc. is dedicated to fighting drug use, drug addiction and drug trafficking and to promoting effective sound drug policies, education and prevention. The Institute on Global Drug Policy is an alliance of physicians, scientists, attorneys and drug specialists advocating for public policies that curtail the abuse of alcohol and illicit drugs. The International Scientific and Medical Forum on Drug Abuse is a brain trust of scientists and doctors whose commitment is to review current articles and published research and to provide scientific knowledge about narcotics in a form the public can understand.

-END-