RANTS

Dear Editor,

Stephen Harper's tough--on--drugs policies aren't just a threat to
drug users. Consider the tragic experience of Canada's southern
neighbor. U.S. Centers for Disease Control researchers estimate that
57 per cent of AIDS cases among women and 36 percent of overall AIDS
cases in the U.S. are linked to injection drug use or sex with
partners who inject drugs. This preventable public health crisis is a
direct result of zero tolerance laws that restrict access to clean
syringes. Can Canada afford to emulate the harm maximization approach
of the former land of the free and current record holder in citizens
incarcerated?

Sincerely, Robert Sharpe, MPA

Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy www.csdp.org

Washington, DC