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In an international campaign
launched during the 19th International AIDS conference, two Canadian doctors
are calling on world leaders to stop the spread of AIDS by ending the so-called
“war on drugs.”
The British Columbia-based AIDS
specialists, Drs. Evan Wood and Julio Montaner, joined British billionaire
Richard Branson and former presidents of Brazil and Columbia, among others, in
asking world leaders to show “leadership,” “courage” and “to do the right
thing.” Wood said that while HIV infections rates are falling globally, they
appear to be rising in countries with aggressive policies for prosecuting
drug-related crimes.
The campaign is endorsed by
supporters of the 2010 Vienna Declaration, which urges governments to craft
evidence-based drug policies.
Injection drug use accounts for
one-third of new HIV infections outside sub-Saharan Africa, according to the
B.C. Center for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and the International Center for Science
in Drug Policy.
“I think globally we’re seeing a
real shift in terms of public opinion and a recognition that addiction should
be treated more as a health issue rather than a criminal justice issue,” Wood
said.
Wood argued that the war on drugs
spreads HIV by forcing addicts into hiding and away from health officials. He
noted that HIV is spreading among prison inmates who inject drugs.
Discussions about law enforcement
and drugs, including such issues as mandatory minimum prison sentences and the
decriminalization of marijuana, have been active in Canada recently. At the
Summit of the Americas in April, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper agreed
the current approach is not working.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
