COUNCIL LACKED COURAGE

Council's rejection of the crack pipe program reflects an apparent
lack of courage for most council members to support a much-needed
health measure. It is on a par, in its effect and its faulty logic,
with refusing to support the distribution of condoms in HIV-plagued
Africa or to teach sex education to teens, for fear of encouraging
sexual contact.

The majority's naive view of human behaviour misses two key points:
crack users will continue to use drugs, whether or not the city
supplies clean pipes, except that now they will do so with "dirty"
implements increasing the risk of disease and death. That city
council would take such action, in the face of scientific evidence to
the contrary, reflects sadly on our council and our city. I would
have expected more enlightenment and certainly more courage from our
city fathers.

Michael Pare, Ottawa