Free crack-pipe mouthpieces to be distributed in Vancouver B.C.
The B.C. Ministry of Health will provide crack-pipe mouthpieces to people who smoke crack, as part of the province’s harm-reduction strategy.
Dr. Perry Kendall, the province’s chief medical officer, said the simple mouthpieces made from surgical tubing will be distributed though needle exchanges and other community health services as early as April.
The program is intended to cut down on the transmission of blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and syphilis that can be spread by smokers sharing glass crack pipes, said Kendall.
Crack smokers often have burns and sores on their lips, he said, so when users share a pipe, they will be able to use their own mouthpiece and reduce the risk of disease transmission.
Crack is a cheap and highly addictive illegal drug made from cocaine.
