Pubdate: Sun, 15 Oct 2006 Source: Province, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 The Province Contact: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476 Author: Beck Foreman UNDER THE PILLARS After all this time, it still seems that people don't get it. Safe- injection sites are not supposed to be the answer to drug addiction and/or homelessness. The concept falls under harm reduction, part of the four-pillar approach -- the other three pillars being prevention, treatment and enforcement. Harm reduction means reducing the spread of communicable diseases and preventing overdose deaths, among other things. This means needles are disposed of safely, rather then being tossed into a park or alley. By receiving clean, sterile needles, the possible transmission risk of a deadly disease is reduced. Let's get the contaminated needles off the streets and disposed of safely and properly. Beck Foreman, Abbotsford - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine