Pubdate: Wed, 24 Oct 2001 Source: Burlington Post (CN ON) Copyright: 2001 Burlington Post Contact: http://www.burlingtonpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1528 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange) Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n1827/a02.html DIABETIC 'INFURIATED' BY FREE NEEDLE PROGRAM I was reading the article: Health committee wants needle exchange program to continue (Oct. 21, The Post) and I must say it absolutely infuriates me. You see I am an insulin-dependent diabetic who must have needles everyday just so I can live. Although I have searched everywhere, nowhere can I find a needle exchange for diabetics. I must buy them myself, which, along with all the other medication I require, is quite costly. I will gladly exchange my old needles for new ones free of charge. Although I am not addicted and would gladly quit use of my legal drugs, I can't. I must continue to live. And just let me get this straight, not only am I buying my own needles but also my tax dollars are purchasing these needles for the drug users. Yeah! What a great society it is that the concern is more to help these drug users/addicts rather than whether or not a diabetic can afford needles. How fair is it that illegal drug users get free needles while I must continue to buy mine? One last question. If the drug users can afford the drugs, why not the needles? I didn't ask for this illness but these drug users knew exactly what they were getting into. So, I anxiously wait for the government to come up with a diabetic needle exchange. I'm sure that quite a few taxpayers would agree that this would be a better use of their tax dollars. Shannon Gallagher , Burlington - --- MAP posted-by: Josh