Pubdate: Wed, 17 Jul 2013 Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON) Copyright: 2013 Canoe Limited Partnership Contact: http://www.ottawasun.com/letter-to-editor Website: http://www.ottawasun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/329 Author: Robert Sharpe Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n334/a08.html Note: Comment by Sun editor SAFE NEEDLE SITES WORK Re: Supervised injection sites editorial, July 12. Safe injection sites have been shown to reduce the spread of HIV without increasing drug use. They also serve as a bridge to drug treatment for an especially hard to reach population. Drug users are not the only beneficiaries. Look no further than the United States for examples of anti-drug strategies best avoided. U.S. Centers for Disease Control researchers estimate that 57% of AIDS cases among women and 36% of overall AIDS cases in the United States are linked to injection drug use or sex with partners who inject drugs. This preventable public health crisis is a direct result of zero tolerance laws that restrict access to clean syringes. Robert Sharpe Arlington, VA. We don't think it makes a safer, healthier city - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom