August 27, 2004
AND WE'RE GIVING THEM FINE SINGLE MALT TO KEEP THEM OFF AFTERSHAVE
Winnipeg makes crack smoking safer (Oliver Moore, Globe and Mail, August 26th, 2004)
Social workers in Winnipeg have begun handing out ““high-quality”” crack pipes and instructions to addicts on the city's streets, part of a harm-reduction strategy put in place by local health officials.The program is modelled on one in Toronto and comes decades after Winnipeg began giving injection-drug users clean needles in return for dirty ones.
Although fully approved, the program was launched with no public notice and has only this week become widely known, said Dr. Margaret Fast, a medical officer of health who works for the city.[...]
Dr. Fast said that the program was launched because patrolling social workers with an outfit called Street Connections had noticed that some injection-drug users were switching to crack and that others were using the cocaine derivative in addition to their habitual drug. With that shift came a new slate of health concerns.
Using makeshift or poorly-made crack pipes can cause oral cuts or burns. If shared, these pipes can also help spread blood-borne diseases, particularly if the group includes drug users who also sell sex. The transmission of both hepatitis and HIV is a concern in such a situation, Dr. Fast said, describing the grim scenario of a pipe passing from mouth to mouth, repeatedly coming into contact with bleeding lips and cracked gums.
Winnipeg's new harm reduction strategy –– dubbed the ‘‘safer crack use kit' –– is designed to minimize these dangers. It is intended for use by a single person only and includes a good-quality glass pipe less likely to injure users. It also includes metal screens, alcohol swabs (for those users who do end up sharing), pipe cleaners, matches, lip balm, at least one condom and information about where addicts can get help. It also includes instructions on how to use the kit.
Given that notions of right and wrong have largely been replaced by concepts of healthy and unhealthy, that addiction is now always defined as a disease and that most of the beneficiaries are undoubtedly aboriginals (and therefore not really accountable for their actions), does this policy not make perfect sense?
From whom does a government agency purchase high-quality crackpipes?
Posted by: mike earl at August 27, 2004 3:20 PMMany Americans are threatening to boycott Canada for its stupidity in so many areas. I say it is time people made good on their threats.
Posted by: at August 27, 2004 3:22 PM"From whom does a government agency purchase high-quality crackpipes?"
I can just imagine some federal official going to the dealer on the corner and asking for a quantity discount on 23,000 of the things.
Posted by: John Barrett Jr. at August 27, 2004 8:14 PMI assume this is part of that "lower cost Canadian drugs" thing that the Democrats keep touting for American consumers...
Posted by: John at August 27, 2004 8:34 PMMmmm, this has been the last post for several hours now. Where the h* are you boys? More posting. Chop chop.
Posted by: joe shropshire at August 27, 2004 10:24 PMGiven that crack users are going to smoke anyhow, "safe" pipe or no, and that in Canada, the taxpayers are going to end up paying for addicts' injuries, this does indeed make sense.
What would be even more cost effective is convincing crack users to smoke marijuana instead, as one can use tinfoil or even a cored apple to make a pipe for pot.
Posted by: Michael Herdegen at August 27, 2004 10:46 PMMichael - I don't think pipe quality is the biggest or most expensive problem associated with smoking crack. I was around this stuff a lot in between '81 and '90 and I've known dozens of crack smokers and I don't know anyone that was injured due to a defective or substandard pipe. I know many that had heart attacks, went to jail, abused children and beat their girlfriends. Perhaps the Canadien government wants to create jobs in manufacturing.
Posted by: Pat H at August 27, 2004 11:28 PMGood Lord, you people seem to know a lot about this stuff. Here I thought I was hanging out on a nice well-behaved sheltered right-wing blog. For Shame.
Posted by: joe shropshire at August 27, 2004 11:34 PMIf the Canadian government were smart (yeah, yeah, I know) then they'd look at ways to decrease chronic health risks while boosting the mortality. That'd save some money.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at August 28, 2004 12:46 PMAs a dual citizen living in Canada, let me be the first to say that not all Canadians are oblivious to how ass-backwards most of the Liberals moves are. Sadly though, canadians continue to turn a blind eye to their own governments massive deficiencies and dishonesty, spending most of their time whinning about Bush and Company rather than dealing with pressing domestic issues. If our 15% sales tax and 40% plus income tax for middle income households doesnt disgust enough people, we can always rely on ridiculous laws, policies and scandals to do the job. ( Gun registry? Sponsorship scandal?). Be thankful that most of you still live in a country with checks and balances and a strong, written constitution as opposed to a land where the constitution is dodgy, the government inherently corrupt and the citizens eagerly turn a blind eye to it all.
Posted by: Murf at August 28, 2004 6:26 PMThe previous comment was meant as a short piece on Canadian stupidity and not the issue at hand, namely the hig-tech crack pipes. The latter really doesnt even deserve a comment. Goodbye Tax Dollars!
Posted by: Murf at August 28, 2004 6:33 PMYeah, but that's Canada - I'm sure you're used to it by now.
Posted by: John Barrett Jr. at August 28, 2004 8:23 PMHey, Im 19 so there isnt much I can do about it right now. Im going to take full advantage of Canada`s dirt cheap (and much like "free" helth care, soon to be extinct) colleges. After that, Im gone. Better wages, lower taxes, less whining. I wonder if the government ever steps back and wonders if their might be a rational, simple explanation to the brain drain.
Posted by: Murf at August 28, 2004 8:45 PMHey, Im 19 so there isnt much I can do about it right now. Im going to take full advantage of Canada`s dirt cheap (and much like "free" helth care, soon to be extinct) colleges. After that, Im gone. Better wages, lower taxes, less whining. I wonder if the government ever steps back and wonders if their might be a rational, simple explanation to the brain drain.
Posted by: Murf at August 28, 2004 8:45 PM