Noted drug warrior Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) recently used his post as chair of a House subcommittee to demand evidence against harm reduction from the National Institutes of Health. His letter claims harm reduction is an "ideological position" not supported by science, and may actually increase the risk of HIV/AIDS infection in drug users.

Souder has treated his chairmanship of the House Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources as a bully pulpit to attack injection drug users, supporters of marijuana decriminalization, and now harm reduction.

Harm reduction does work. Experts in the field, including one whose research Souder misinterpreted in his letter, have responded with their own letters to the director of NIH. If you have a scientific background and would like to share your views on harm reduction, please send a polite letter to:

Honorable Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D.
Director
National Institutes of Health
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20892

We would appreciate a copy of your letter to include on our website.