Gerri Silverstain
Drug Watch International

Harm reduction or as I prefer to call it “harm maintenance,” in the USA, is one of the main projects of the Drug Policy Alliance, The DPA has offices in practically every state in America. They target politicians and the Department of Health in each state to endorse their program. They get politicians to spend public monies to fund these programs. They use AIDS as an excuse to open centers to distribute free needles, swabs, cooking utensils, tourniquets and instructions on how to “shoot smart” and shoot safe.” Here are some arguments you may be able to get to Congressman Massaouu, if he doesn’t have them already.

a. World wide, the number one spread of all blood borne diseases including AIDS, HIV, Hepatitis C, syphilis, is through sexual intercourse, both heterosexual and homosexual contact, not through intravenous drug use or sharing needles.

b. In almost all countries that have needle exchange programs, the majority of intravenous drug users (IDU) over 70% continue to share needles. This is a part of the drug culture. The number of youth who now inject has steadily risen, engaging in risky sex has risen, crime has gone up and the number one cause of death to all IDUs is an OVERDOSE not any blood borne disease.

c. Example—England, has had HR for over 20 years. In addition to dispensing free needles, they have safe sites, rooms that help addicts shoot up and watch over them to see that the don’t overdose. They also provide free heroin for those that they claim are ” hard core addicts.” Some of the most damning evidence of the failure of HR in the UK, is the fact that there has been an increase in the number of new YOUNG IDUs, an increase in “risky” sex, an increase in HIV and Hepatitis C, an increase in crime and the number one cause of death still remains an OVERDOSE. Many streets, playgrounds and parks are littered with discarded needles. The UK now has 35,000 youngsters under the age of 16 who are SECOND GENERATION intravenous drug users.

d. Prevention programs as well as early intervention programs is one of the best ways of eliminating HARM not maintaining it. The success of our efforts in each country will determine the future of tomorrows children and the health of our nations.