A nonprofit group in Seattle is making headlines after announcing that they're handing out free crack pipes to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.
The People's Harm Reduction Alliance claims that it's starting the controversial campaign because of the possibility of spreading the virus through cuts on the mouth from broken pipes and to prevent the spread of hepatitis from mouth sores.
Speaking on the program Shilo Murphy the executive director of the group says,
“We take a different philosophy approach than most government institutions or public health departments. They have a budget, and have to pick and choose who they're going to help..We say this is our community, this is our neighborhood, and we should decide what we have at the table."
So far research has shown HIV transmission from dirty needles but not necessarily through crack sores.
Michael Hanrahan, the manager of education and prevention services of the HIV/STD program with Public Health in Seattle, describes the concept however as “theoretically plausible."
The group is also known for distributing pipe filters and ascorbic acid for injecting crack while also supplying heroin users with clean needles and a drug that reduces a heroin overdose.
Check out coverage on this story from the Associated Press below.
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