HARM REDUCTION EFFORTS WORK, PROHIBITION OF DRUGS DOESN'T

Re: Addressing addiction requires discussion, Letters, April 1.

Brian Blood thinks harm reduction measures are a waste of money
because they don't reduce drug use, property crime or
prostitution.

He is wrong on the facts and wrong about the goal of harm
reduction.

The evidence about harm reduction is in - it does provide an access
point to addiction services which leads to reduced drug use and
therefore reduced criminality.

But even if it did not, so what?

The goal of harm reduction is to save lives and reduce the spread of
disease. And it achieves those goals very, very well.

Blood, however, does make a good point - without a system that allows
for the lawful distribution of drugs to those with addiction issues we
will never break the cycle of prohibition-related crime.

And the public is getting very poor value for the tax dollars spent on
this issue. Most of those dollars are wasted enforcing the criminal
prohibition on drugs.

There is a better way - end prohibition, allow the distribution of
addictive drugs by health care professionals and in so doing eliminate
the black markets and the need for theft and prostitution to support
drug addictions.

Kirk Tousaw

Executive Director, Beyond Prohibition Foundation

Mill Bay