america
Drug Abuse Prevention; Why do the American media avoid discussing research findings?
For Futurehealth: Lewis Mehl-Madrona - WriterThis week on American television, as part of its coverage of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, particularly on the CNN Network each morning at the gym were I exercise, the morning news was astir with discussions of Insite, a Vancouver-based project that provides addicts with a safe site to inject, including clean needles. The American TV was awash with criticisms of this policy, the primary one being that it promoted drug abuse and caused people to abuse drugs even more than they otherwise would. What amazed me was the complete lack of attention to data in the American media. Substantial research has been conducted on Insite and on harm reduction models. It is known that programs like Insite reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and of hepatitis C and reduce drug overdose. No evidence exists to support its spreading drug abuse.
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