INFLAMMATORY RHETORIC

David Berner suggests that harm reduction is an effort to oppose
addiction treatment.

He has no grasp on the point of harm reduction, however, which is to
prevent HIV, hepatitis and drug overdoses, among other severe effects
of addiction, until the addict stops injecting.

Treating someone for life with anti-HIV drugs is massively more
expensive than harm-reduction interventions.

Many addicts are unwilling to accept treatment at a given time, but
those who are should have it on demand.

If Berner supports lots more funding for treatment, then we agree on
at least one proposal.

But in the meantime, keeping addicts from contracting chronic,
incurable infections is a vital medical intervention.

Berner and Health Minister Tony Clement are ignoring well-documented
medical evidence, and are trying to score political points with their
demagogic rhetoric.

Dr. Randall White, Vancouver