HIV ACTIVISTS COULD KEEP PIPE PROGRAM ALIVE WITHOUT CITY HELP

HEALTH / Ambushed On Safe Inhalation Program, Organizers Rally

An inexpensive program that keeps drug users from contracting HIV and
hepatitis was canned by city hall Jul 11, but those involved with the
safer inhalation program say they could keep distributing pipes
without city funds.

"There's still the impetus to provide support to those who use our
services," says Adam Graham of the AIDS Committee Of Ottawa.

Graham is not discounting the possibility that outreach workers will
keep distributing the pipes even though the city has withdrawn its
funding. He says that in other Canadian jurisdictions, health workers
have gone ahead with similar programs when municipal governments have
balked at provided harm reduction strategies.

"Looking into what the implications are is really worthwhile," he says.

Metal pipes heat up, drying and cracking the lips of users. This
leaves them, and other users of the pipe, vulnerable to contracting
blood-borne infections like HIV.

Harm reduction programs like this one keep users from catching
incurable diseases until they're ready to quit. Pioneered by gay
activists in the early days of AIDS, harm reduction was presented as
an alternative to the medical profession's calls for abstinence and
reactionary politicians' calls for quarantine.

Evidence gathered by University Of Ottawa researchers on behalf of
the City Of Ottawa shows that the program has caused drug users to
switch from using injection drugs to using the pipes, which is safer.
It also reduced the frequency of pipe sharing. Advocates also point
out that the program has exposed many of Ottawa's drug users to
health professionals for the first time, meaning they have greater
access to health information and counselling options.

"We had an inkling," that the program would come under attack, says
Graham, which explains why ACO rallied in Feb at budget time and also
faced off against Sandy Hill conservatives on Jul 11,
counter-protesting an anti-crack pipe demonstration led by about 25
area business owners and residents. With Mayor Larry O'Brien and new
police chief Vernon White opposed, organizations supporting harm
reduction girded their loins.

The Integrated Drug Strategy plan adopted by city hall yesterday had
called for a review of the pipe program, but Rick Chiarelli
introduced a motion to abandon safer inhalation altogether.

Despite Chiarelli, the program will continue, at least for now.

"We've heard conflicting information. As far as we know, we have
until the 31st of July for ordering supplies," says Graham.

The mayor and 14 councillors voted to nix the program. The mayor and
a regular roster of suburban reps were joined by River councillor
Maria McRae, Kitchissippi councillor Christine Leadman (whose ward
includes Westboro and Hintonburg) and College councillor Chiarelli.

Seven councillors did not support the motion, six representing
inside-the-greenbelt ridings -- Diane Deans, Diane Holmes, Clive
Doucet, Jacques Legendre, Peter Hume, and Michel Bellemare -- plus
Kanata councillor Peggy Feltmate. Georges Bedard and Alex Cullen were
absent from the vote.

Those councillors who voted to kill the program should be held
accountable, Graham says, and filing a human rights complaint might
be the next step.

"It's an interesting question. If addiction is covered under human
rights codes under disability, and it is in Ontario and federally,
community organizations should be asking themselves is how does this
implicate councillors in human rights abuses when despite the
mountain of evidence presented by Dr Salisbury, they've cancelled a
program, as non-health professionals, that is reducing transmission
[of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis]."