Pubdate: Fri, 22 Dec 2000
Source: Medford Mail Tribune (OR)
Copyright: 2000 The Mail Tribune
Contact:  PO Box 1108, Medford OR 97501
Fax: (541) 776-4376
Website: http://www.mailtribune.com/
Forum: http://www.mailtribune.com/speak_out/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)

SUPPORT NEEDLE PLAN

County'S Exchange Program Helps Community And Should
Continue

A year-old program that allows intravenous drug users to exchange
dirty needles for clean ones in west Medford deserves the county's
continued support.

When the county first considered the project, all sorts of potential
issues arose: Would the program serve as nothing more than a needle
giveaway to drug users? Would it flop because of users' fear police
would find out about them? Would it be as controversial in Southern
Oregon as it's been in some other places?

The answer to all three, happily, has been no.

Numbers gathered by the county show that instead, the program —
although small — is making an important difference in the community.

Between January and September, it served 143 people who made 368
visits to the exchange and traded in 4,895 needles. People who didn't
want new needles turned in another 148 needles. The county recorded a
25 percent decrease in the number of reports of discarded needles
between the first four months of 1999 and the first four months of
2000. At least 9 percent of the people making exchanges entered
treatment for drug problems, the county says, and 13 percent were
tested for HIV.

These are small numbers. But if a dozen people entered drug treatment
because of the program, that's a dozen who would still be out there
using otherwise. Costs for the program are small, too: The county
spent less than $2,500 on supplies in the exchange's first nine months
of operation. That's a deal.

County commissioners tentatively agreed 2-1 this week to continue the
program; they will make a final decision in January. Commissioner Jack
Walker, who has been against the needle exchange from the beginning,
still can't bring himself to support it, saying he feels like he'd be
condoning illegal drug use.

That's understandable. But the numbers show the program is helping the
community, not harming it. Walker should join his fellow commissioners
and allow the county to make its support of this worthwhile effort
unanimous. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake