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Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique logoLink to Canadian Journal of Public Health = Revue Canadienne de Santé Publique
. 2002 Nov 1;93(6):431–434. doi: 10.1007/BF03405031

Illicit IV Drugs

A Public Health Approach

Mark Haden 17,✉
PMCID: PMC6979968  PMID: 12448865

Abstract

This article explores, from a public health perspective, the harm done by Canadian drug laws, to both individuals and society. It challenges the perceived dichotomy of legalization and criminalization of intravenous drugs. The article then expands the discussion by exploring eight legal options for illicit drugs and examines how these options interact with the marginalization of users, the illicit drug black market, and levels of drug consumption. While the main focus of this article is intravenous drugs, it draws some lessons from cannabis research.

Footnotes

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and are not a reflection of the policies of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority

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