Sask. to provide crack and crystal meth pipes at harm reduction centres

The province plans to provide clean pipes to people at existing needle exchangesthroughout Saskatchewan.

It's a move meant to help injection drug userstransition away from the needle to the safer alternative of smoking or to stop people from injecting in the first place, with an overarching goal ofreducingthe spread of HIV and Hepatitis C through used needles.

People will be receptive to the pipes and accessories once they are available, said JasonMercredi, who is the executive director ofAIDS Saskatoon.

"Drug users are very economical people, so if the only free tool to use the drugs is needles they're going to use needles."

Mercredisaid the most commondrug in the province is crystal meth, followed by crack-cocaine.

People who regularly use can gothrough multiple needles a day, or share them, but the same pipe can be smoked over and over again.

Mercredi is hopeful the safer supplies willhelp the province get a handle on the "HIV epidemic that Saskatchewan has been facing for the last decade."

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We are still playing catch up,not only in terms of HIV, but also in terms ofopioidrelated deaths and some of the chaos caused by methamphetamine.- Dr. Peter Butt

The supply of clean pipeswill also target makeshift pipes that could be made from glass bottles and aluminum.

These cancause cuts, blisters or open sores which can in turn lead to the transmission of HIV and Hepatitis Cifshared, according to the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).

The expansion in services also allows staff at the harm reduction sites to better connect with drugusersand provide education and further resources.

The push for this came directly from people who usedrugs and advocated for access to safer supplies, he said.

Mercredi had advocated for the initiative on their behalfand said he is pleasantly surprised it's being implemented.

"This year has been a big year for Saskatchewan in harm reduction," he said, pointing to universal coverage for HIV and Hepatits C, as well as naloxone programs.

"We're excited to carry on this momentum forward."

Province only catching up: expert

The move to provide pipesis progressive, but only one part of a solution, said Dr. Peter Butt, an addictions expert inSaskatchewan.

"We are still playing catch up, not only in terms of HIV but also in terms ofopioidrelated deaths and some of the chaos caused by methamphetamine," he said.

"This is one strategy in an array of strategies that need to be implemented in order to scale up our system."

The rates of IV drug users are high for both opioids and stimulants, he said, which is reflected by extremely high HIV rates. Themajority of HIV cases in the province are contracted through that drug use.

Butt said that to lower the addiction rates, the province needs a range of physical and mental health strategies that focus on prevention, outreach and improved access to services.

"Ultimately the goal is to help people achieve a life in recovery."

The SHAsaid seven other provinces have safer inhalation supplies at their harm reduction centres. It says the tools will be available in province in the next few months, once staff are fully trained about the new supplies.

They are expected to be available at 26 fixed and three mobile harm reduction sites.