SAFE SENSE

Re: MPs Push for Safe Heroin Injection Sites, Dec. 10.

I want to invite Tony Clement, Ontario's Health Minister who opposes
injection clinics, to visit Switzerland. A federal country too, quite
conservative but with very audacious drug policies.

Why? Because hundreds of injecting drugs users got infected by HIV in the
mid-'80s and needle-exchange programs started all over the country, leading
to a dramatic decrease of new HIV infections due to drug use.

An additional step was taken when opening safe injecting sites. Now, dozens
of them are open in several Swiss cities, offering drug users a safe and
secure environment, reducing not only HIV and hepatitis infections, but
also bringing them back some human dignity.

Saving people's lives is certainly something every health minister should
try to achieve to the utmost. What the Swiss managed to do, we believe
others, including Canadians, can also accomplish.

Florian Hubner,

Geneva, Switzerland.