'GETTING STUPID' ON DRUGS

London -- As a Canadian working in Europe on HIV-prevention issues, I
am shocked at the cavalier fashion in which Tony Clement is willing
to sacrifice the public health of Canadians at the altar of
ideological posturing (Get-Tough Plan On Drugs Doomed, Experts Say -
Oct. 1). The scientific and medical evidence of the effectiveness of
harm-reduction programs worldwide over the past 20 years is beyond
dispute, and a harm-reduction approach is supported by the World
Health Organization, the United Nations and many other Canadian and
international expert bodies.

Harm-reduction interventions, such as needle exchange, methadone and
safe-injection sites, are proven to save lives, prevent the spread of
HIV infection, and ultimately save public money by fighting the
spread of expensive-to-treat illnesses. It is hard to see what fault
any responsible government could find in such positive outcomes.

Until the election of the Harper government, Canada had been seen as
a world leader in implementing these evidenced-based public health
policies. The Conservative plan has nothing do with "getting tough"
on drugs, and everything to do with "getting stupid" on drugs.