The government of British Columbia, Canada is distributing free crack-pipe mouthpieces in an attempt to prevent transmission of hepatitis C among drug users who pass around the pipes, The Province reported Jan. 3.

"People who smoke crack often burn their lips and have sores on their lips, and that sore can have blood in it," explained Perry Kendall, chief medical health officer for the province. "A well-run [mouthpiece] program offers a lot of promise to reduce blood-borne diseases and to introduce people to health care and addiction treatment services as well."

The provincial government, which already hands out clean needles, alcohol swabs and water vials to drug users, will begin distributing the mouthpieces this spring. The hope is the one-cent disposable devices will prevent the spread of hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and other deadly diseases.

"About 15 of our members probably died last year of pneumonia," said Ann Livingston, program coordinator for the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users. "The people who were dying were more likely to be people who smoked crack cocaine."