In Africa, women are more vulnerable to AIDS because they lack weight in society. If so many drug users are contaminated, it is surely because we have a juridical framework which defines drug use as crime and drug users as criminals. As a result, drug use can only be secret. Within this secret world, little attention is paid to public health messages from outside. For years now, Act Up has been arguing for the installation of automatic syringe distributors in the appropriate locations.
Local politicians avoid making the decision, for fear of upsetting their reactionary voters.
These substitutes could be much improved. Act Up demands that a range of products, and substitution methods be made available, covering the whole range of drug products actually in use. We also demand the distribution of heroine, under medical supervision. For some drug addicts, this is the only solution. France is behind a number of other countries.