WE MUST TRY THE NEW ALTERNATIVES

I would like to address some of the misconceptions around needle
exchange in Ottawa. Not everyone who uses drugs wants treatment and
you can't force someone into treatment. One-for-one needle exchange
does not reduce public discards; needle drop-off boxes and safe
injection sites do. One-for-one exchange augments the risk of disease
transmission. Harm reduction also includes treatment and abstinence;
it is not "just" a licence to give people drug use supplies.

Harm reduction is a pragmatic approach based on scientific theory. The
question that needs to be asked is: How would you like your child to
be treated if he or she was addicted to drugs?

Would you want your child to have to share needles because they cannot
have access to a clean one? Do you want them to be further
marginalized because of illness or criminal records?

We need to start treating the issue of drug addiction in Ottawa with a
caring and pragmatic approach. Insanity is doing the same thing and
expecting different results: The war on drugs has failed. We must try
the new alternatives.

Jean-FranCois Martinbault

Gatineau

(It's hard to help people who don't want it)