Vancouver’s Portland Hotel Society has done it again, they have led the way with an exciting new harm reduction initiative. This time they are selling crack pipes (glass stems) from vending machines for the nominal price of $0.25 each as a way to make safer inhalation supplies more accessible. For those who support harm reduction, the practice of providing new pipes is the same as providing new needles: it is a proven method of reducing the transmission of HIV and Hepatitis C. The Lethbridge HIV Connection currently does not supply pipes as the Alberta Government has not yet determined if they are legal or will be considered drug paraphernalia, which means staff members could be arrested and charged for distributing them. Nonetheless, we wholeheartedly applaud those at the Portland Hotel Society for once again leading the charge on harm reduction!

To read more, follow the link below:

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/vancouver-home-to-canada-s-first-crackpipe-vending-machines-1.1677066