British Columbia Health Officials Welcome Crack Pipe Study and Link to Hepatitis C

[Guest guest]

CDC 12/13/07

CANADA: " British Columbia Health Officials Welcome Crack Pipe Study and Link

to Hepatitis C "

Canadian Press (12.12.07):: Sutherland

A new study affirms the risk that hepatitis C can be transmitted by crack pipe

sharing.

" We have some initial evidence that a hepatitis C-infected crack smoker can,

under certain circumstances, pass on the virus on to the pipe, " said Dr.

Benedikt Fischer, the study's leader and the director of the University of

's Center for Addictions Research. " [That's] one of several steps

necessary to transmit hepatitis C from one crack smoker to another by way of

crack pipe sharing. "

In the study, crack pipes were collected shortly after being used by 51 inner

city Toronto participants. Testing confirmed that 22 smokers (43.1 percent) were

positive for hepatitis C antibodies. Hepatitis C virus was found on one of the

pipes whose owner also tested positive.

The study's results, Fischer said, have implications for scientists and public

health officials alike. " Primarily, that in order to prevent the spread of

hepatitis C in the high-risk population of street drug users, you need to not

only focus on injection drug users but also on crack smokers, " he said.

Dr. Kendall, British Columbia's provincial health officer, said the study

" adds further support for interventions that are aimed at trying to reduce the

spread of infectious agents between crack users. "

Kendall continued, " For quite some time, we've been concerned about the

potential spread of diseases like HIV, hepatitis C, tuberculosis, and even

syphilis, using shared crack pipes - a bit like using shared drug-injection

equipment can spread diseases. This study, which actually finds hepatitis C

virus on the stems of crack pipes. adds weight to the fact that this is a

feasible way to spread diseases. "

Given this new evidence, Kendall said it is particularly frustrating that harm

reduction programs distributing crack pipes, stems, and other items designed to

prevent disease transmission via crack use have come under fire.

" For some reason, crack pipes have been a lightning rod for people who are

opposed to harm reduction initiatives, who haven't been able to unseat

established programs, such as needle and syringe exchanges, " Kendall said.

The full report, " Hepatitis C Virus Transmission Among Oral Crack Users: Viral

Detection on Crack Paraphernalia, " was published in the European Journal of

Gastroenterology & Hepatology (2008;20(1):29-32).

_________________________________________________________________

The best games are on Xbox 360. Click here for a special offer on an Xbox 360

Console.

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[Guest guest]

CDC 12/13/07

CANADA: " British Columbia Health Officials Welcome Crack Pipe Study and Link

to Hepatitis C "

Canadian Press (12.12.07):: Sutherland

A new study affirms the risk that hepatitis C can be transmitted by crack pipe

sharing.

" We have some initial evidence that a hepatitis C-infected crack smoker can,

under certain circumstances, pass on the virus on to the pipe, " said Dr.

Benedikt Fischer, the study's leader and the director of the University of

's Center for Addictions Research. " [That's] one of several steps

necessary to transmit hepatitis C from one crack smoker to another by way of

crack pipe sharing. "

In the study, crack pipes were collected shortly after being used by 51 inner

city Toronto participants. Testing confirmed that 22 smokers (43.1 percent) were

positive for hepatitis C antibodies. Hepatitis C virus was found on one of the

pipes whose owner also tested positive.

The study's results, Fischer said, have implications for scientists and public

health officials alike. " Primarily, that in order to prevent the spread of

hepatitis C in the high-risk population of street drug users, you need to not

only focus on injection drug users but also on crack smokers, " he said.

Dr. Kendall, British Columbia's provincial health officer, said the study

" adds further support for interventions that are aimed at trying to reduce the

spread of infectious agents between crack users. "

Kendall continued, " For quite some time, we've been concerned about the

potential spread of diseases like HIV, hepatitis C, tuberculosis, and even

syphilis, using shared crack pipes - a bit like using shared drug-injection

equipment can spread diseases. This study, which actually finds hepatitis C

virus on the stems of crack pipes. adds weight to the fact that this is a

feasible way to spread diseases. "

Given this new evidence, Kendall said it is particularly frustrating that harm

reduction programs distributing crack pipes, stems, and other items designed to

prevent disease transmission via crack use have come under fire.

" For some reason, crack pipes have been a lightning rod for people who are

opposed to harm reduction initiatives, who haven't been able to unseat

established programs, such as needle and syringe exchanges, " Kendall said.

The full report, " Hepatitis C Virus Transmission Among Oral Crack Users: Viral

Detection on Crack Paraphernalia, " was published in the European Journal of

Gastroenterology & Hepatology (2008;20(1):29-32).

_________________________________________________________________

The best games are on Xbox 360. Click here for a special offer on an Xbox 360

Console.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/wheretobuy/

[Guest guest]

CDC 12/13/07

CANADA: " British Columbia Health Officials Welcome Crack Pipe Study and Link

to Hepatitis C "

Canadian Press (12.12.07):: Sutherland

A new study affirms the risk that hepatitis C can be transmitted by crack pipe

sharing.

" We have some initial evidence that a hepatitis C-infected crack smoker can,

under certain circumstances, pass on the virus on to the pipe, " said Dr.

Benedikt Fischer, the study's leader and the director of the University of

's Center for Addictions Research. " [That's] one of several steps

necessary to transmit hepatitis C from one crack smoker to another by way of

crack pipe sharing. "

In the study, crack pipes were collected shortly after being used by 51 inner

city Toronto participants. Testing confirmed that 22 smokers (43.1 percent) were

positive for hepatitis C antibodies. Hepatitis C virus was found on one of the

pipes whose owner also tested positive.

The study's results, Fischer said, have implications for scientists and public

health officials alike. " Primarily, that in order to prevent the spread of

hepatitis C in the high-risk population of street drug users, you need to not

only focus on injection drug users but also on crack smokers, " he said.

Dr. Kendall, British Columbia's provincial health officer, said the study

" adds further support for interventions that are aimed at trying to reduce the

spread of infectious agents between crack users. "

Kendall continued, " For quite some time, we've been concerned about the

potential spread of diseases like HIV, hepatitis C, tuberculosis, and even

syphilis, using shared crack pipes - a bit like using shared drug-injection

equipment can spread diseases. This study, which actually finds hepatitis C

virus on the stems of crack pipes. adds weight to the fact that this is a

feasible way to spread diseases. "

Given this new evidence, Kendall said it is particularly frustrating that harm

reduction programs distributing crack pipes, stems, and other items designed to

prevent disease transmission via crack use have come under fire.

" For some reason, crack pipes have been a lightning rod for people who are

opposed to harm reduction initiatives, who haven't been able to unseat

established programs, such as needle and syringe exchanges, " Kendall said.

The full report, " Hepatitis C Virus Transmission Among Oral Crack Users: Viral

Detection on Crack Paraphernalia, " was published in the European Journal of

Gastroenterology & Hepatology (2008;20(1):29-32).

_________________________________________________________________

The best games are on Xbox 360. Click here for a special offer on an Xbox 360

Console.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/wheretobuy/

[Guest guest]

CDC 12/13/07

CANADA: " British Columbia Health Officials Welcome Crack Pipe Study and Link

to Hepatitis C "

Canadian Press (12.12.07):: Sutherland

A new study affirms the risk that hepatitis C can be transmitted by crack pipe

sharing.

" We have some initial evidence that a hepatitis C-infected crack smoker can,

under certain circumstances, pass on the virus on to the pipe, " said Dr.

Benedikt Fischer, the study's leader and the director of the University of

's Center for Addictions Research. " [That's] one of several steps

necessary to transmit hepatitis C from one crack smoker to another by way of

crack pipe sharing. "

In the study, crack pipes were collected shortly after being used by 51 inner

city Toronto participants. Testing confirmed that 22 smokers (43.1 percent) were

positive for hepatitis C antibodies. Hepatitis C virus was found on one of the

pipes whose owner also tested positive.

The study's results, Fischer said, have implications for scientists and public

health officials alike. " Primarily, that in order to prevent the spread of

hepatitis C in the high-risk population of street drug users, you need to not

only focus on injection drug users but also on crack smokers, " he said.

Dr. Kendall, British Columbia's provincial health officer, said the study

" adds further support for interventions that are aimed at trying to reduce the

spread of infectious agents between crack users. "

Kendall continued, " For quite some time, we've been concerned about the

potential spread of diseases like HIV, hepatitis C, tuberculosis, and even

syphilis, using shared crack pipes - a bit like using shared drug-injection

equipment can spread diseases. This study, which actually finds hepatitis C

virus on the stems of crack pipes. adds weight to the fact that this is a

feasible way to spread diseases. "

Given this new evidence, Kendall said it is particularly frustrating that harm

reduction programs distributing crack pipes, stems, and other items designed to

prevent disease transmission via crack use have come under fire.

" For some reason, crack pipes have been a lightning rod for people who are

opposed to harm reduction initiatives, who haven't been able to unseat

established programs, such as needle and syringe exchanges, " Kendall said.

The full report, " Hepatitis C Virus Transmission Among Oral Crack Users: Viral

Detection on Crack Paraphernalia, " was published in the European Journal of

Gastroenterology & Hepatology (2008;20(1):29-32).

_________________________________________________________________

The best games are on Xbox 360. Click here for a special offer on an Xbox 360

Console.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/wheretobuy/