PRISON DEFENDS DRUG-INJECTING TIPS FOR CONS

Drumheller prison officials say they won't apologize for making information
available to inmates that shows the best ways to use a syringe and
injectable drugs.

"That information is just part of a larger program," said Bob Lytle,
assistant warden of the pen about 110 km northeast of Calgary.

"It's a responsible thing to do."

Lytle was responding to an exclusive Sun story yesterday that told how an
information packet available to new inmates showed safe ways to inject
illegal drugs.

Tips For Injecting

The 20-plus-page package detailed tips on how to get veins to stand out and
be needle ready, how to "skin pop" if all the other veins in the body are
beyond use and how to crush pills and "cook" them in a spoon before injecting.

A prison source sent the papers to the Sun.

But Lytle said the information was taken out of context, adding it "was
taken out of a file from a nurse who does orientation for new inmates.

Part of the orientation involves a Choosing Health in Prison program, which
addresses drugs, sex and other health-related topics. "(The injectable
drugs package) was never specifically handed out to inmates, but was
available during classes," Lytle said.

"The information is reasonably good if you are worried about educating
people in drug use and the risky behaviours involved."

The fact the information is available at all to prisoners, many of whom go
to the pen with well-entrenched drug habits, outraged Canadian Alliance MP
Art Hanger.

"It's a pathetic response to a problem they don't want to deal with," the
Calgary MP said.

Federally Mandated Response

But the response is a federally mandated one, Lytle said, adding, "we have
a serious number of health problems and it's part of the whole program, and
we're trying to teach these guys you minimize your health by doing drugs."