HIV and People Who Use Drugs

People who use drugs comprise about 20% of the population in Canada infected with HIV and about 30% of new infections.

They are at increased risk for HIV/AIDS, overdoses and other infections associated with their drug use as a result of sharing needles, pipes or other drug paraphernalia.

The Canadian AIDS Society serves this group by supporting harm reduction initiatives, including needle exchange and crack pipe programs, safe injection sites, methadone maintenance and substitution therapy, which are intended to reduce the risk of HIV transmission. This section includes information about CAS’ work on HIV/AIDS and drug use.

• Bill C-15 – Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drug Offenses: A Step in the Wrong Direction

• Injection Drug Use and HIV/AIDS

• Fact Sheet: Crystal Meth and HIV

• Health Minister's Indecision on Insite Ignores Scientific Evidence: Federal Government Playing Politics with People’s Lives (09/02/2006)

• A Step in the Right Direction: The Supreme Court of Canada Rules in Favor of Insite (09/30/2011)

• Drug Laws and HIV/AIDS (June 2002)

• Harm Reduction and Substance Use (adopted February 2000)

• Harm Reduction and HIV/AIDS (February 2000)

• Learning from Each Other: Enhancing Community-Based Harm Reduction Programs and Practices in Canada

• Enhancing Capacity