CANADA: Interior Health Authority Takes Time to Decide About Crack Pipe Distribution

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

CANADA: Interior Health Authority Takes Time to Decide About Crack Pipe Distribution

Canadian Press (12.20.07) - Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Interior Health's senior medical health officer said the agency could take up to a year to decide whether to distribute mouth pieces for crack pipes to local users. Andrew Larder said Interior Health plans to consult with several stakeholders in the coming year on the issue. A new study from the University of Victoria, which examined drug paraphernalia used by 50 inner-city crack users in Toronto, suggests that hepatitis C can be transmitted among crack smokers who share pipes. The B.C. Harm Reduction Committee recommends making mouth pieces available to health authorities and service agencies, but Interior Health spokesperson Alison Paine said a distribution program has not been agreed upon.
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