CRACK KITS IN OTTAWA

IN A MOVE designed to reduce the spread of HIV and hepatitis C among drug
users, the City of Ottawa will hand out free crack pipe kits starting
tomorrow. Ottawa faces an epidemic in HIV and hepatitis infection rates
among injection drug users, says Paul Lavigne, an officer with the public
health unit.

The city has the second-highest rate in the country for HIV and the highest
rate in Ontario for hepatitis C among injection drug users.

The figures are worrisome because injection drug use is closely intertwined
with smoking crack, says Lavigne.

One study in 2002-03, part of research with the University of Ottawa, found
that about 75% of injection drug users had smoked crack in the previous six
months.

In Toronto, the city's healthcare department already provides local
community groups with crack kits.

The community groups include educational material and glass stems which are
used to make crack pipes within the crack kits.