Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users

Position paper arguing that public transit is a human right, and showing how thousands of bus riders across the Vancouver region were negatively affected by the transit cuts in 2001. Among those most impacted were the late night workers, women and youth who depend on Night Owl buses to get home after 1:40 a.m. The author demands the return of the Night Owl buses as a first step towards a massive expansion of bus service and the creation of an affordable, accessible, and integrated bus system. An appendix of testimonials by members of the public about their need for the Night Owl Buses is included.

This report analyses available data on HIV prevalence and infection rates for people living in Ontario who were born in countries in the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa. Immigrants to Ontario have the highest HIV prevalence rate after men who sleep with men and injection drug users. The report presents a series of figures, tables and descriptive analyses of HIV diagnoses, AIDS incidence, AIDS-related mortality, perinatal (mother-to-child) transmission, and population demographics in relation to HIV and AIDS prevalence and incidence. The report highlights the need for epidemiologic research to validate the results of the study, as well as social and behavioural studies to better understand the determinants of HIV transmission among immigrants.

Comprehensive listing and description of websites about harm reduction and drug policy reform, from both Canadian and international sources.

While the advantages of methadone maintenance are well known, the advantages of heroin maintenance are less well publicised. This paper lists and describes some of the advantages of heroin maintenance, such as fewer side effects, withdrawal symptoms and deaths than methadone maintenance. Other advantages relate to heroin maintenance programs being more empowering, inclusive, less restrictive, and ultimately more effective than methadone programs.