STUDY URGES METHADONE, NEEDLE EXCHANGES ON P.E.I.

There are 500 addicted Islanders whose health is at risk because of a
lack of needle exchange and methadone treatment programs in the
province, a recent study says.

But the province's health minister says it will be at least next year
before government begins to look at programs targeting intravenous
drug users. On Friday, AIDS P.E.I. released the results of a study
into the problem of Islanders using needles to shoot up cocaine,
opiates and other drugs.

The group estimates 500 people in the province regularly use needles
to take drugs and said the evidence is they are placing themselves and
others at risk of contracting AIDS or hepatitis C.

Barb Gibson, the group's executive director, said the province should
adopt a harm re-education strategy that would first move addicts
towards less risky drug use and ultimately steer them towards
addictions treatment.

The group began offering a needle exchange at its offices in
mid-summer and has collected more than 4,000 used needles so far.

"Harm reduction is not an easy philosophy to adopt," she said. "But we
have to acknowledge those people that are involved in intravenous drug
use and then motivate them to reduce risk and eventually to move
towards sobriety."

Researcher Daniel Nowogorski spent months networking with injection
drug users before persuading 52 of them to take part in a study
looking at the ways drug use impacts the lives of addicts.

He said the most commonly injected drug is dilaudid, a prescription
pain killer, but that cocaine is also in circulation. He said his
study showed more than half of the users surveyed shared drug
paraphernalia, especially in rural Kings and Prince counties, and that
four-fifths of them dispose of the needles in unsafe ways. He said
needle exchanges and methadone treatment are desperate needs for
Islanders who use intravenous drugs.

"For the person that uses these drugs on a daily basis, the need is
great," he said.

"People say that by giving someone a chance to have a clean needle
you're encouraging intravenous drug use. No, I'm promoting a more
safe, healthy lifestyle."

Health and Social Services Minister Chester Gillan attended the
report's unveiling.

He said government takes injection drug use seriously but officials
have no immediate plans to adopt either a needle exchange program or
methadone treatment for addicts hooked on opiates.

Gillan said government is waiting for its own report on drug use, due
in early 2004, before taking any major steps. He said there seems to
be a split among addictions workers over whether methadone treatment
is the best way to deal with intravenous drug use.

"There are people, even some former users, who will tell you that a
cold turkey approach is the only way to beat the habit," he said.

"It's not the cost. It's that separation that is giving us
pause."

Gillan said the province now treats drug addicts through the services
of the Mount Herbert treatment centre, but doesn't have specific
measures for injection drug users.

"As far as the needle exchange, we have been told that it isn't much
benefit unless you also have something like the methadone treatment,"
Gillan said. "We aren't prepared to take that step."

Richard Collins, deputy chief of the Charlottetown police, said they
would like to see measures that would reduce drug use.

He said information from other jurisidictions suggest that police deal
with less property crime in areas where drug users are offered safe
alternatives like methadone.