Pubdate: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 Source: Surrey Leader (CN BC) Copyright: 2003 Surrey Leader Contact: http://www.surreyleader.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1236 Author: Kevin Diakiw Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange) NEW TARGET: NEEDLES Surrey's mayor wants to shut down the Whalley needle exchange "immediately," in favour of dispersed services through provincial health units. Critics of that plan say addicts will turn to sharing needles, contracting hepatitis C and HIV, driving up provincial health care costs. The proposed closure comes as part of Mayor Doug McCallum's "action team" campaign to clean up crime-ridden areas of Whalley. It involves a coordinated effort by several city departments, including bylaw, fire, RCMP, engineering and parks. The area around the needle exchange, at 135 A St. near 106 Ave., is at the heart of the problem, according to McCallum. On Monday, he called the board of directors for South Fraser Community Services, which operates the exchange, and asked them to cease operations. "I talked to their chairman yesterday and asked them to shut it down immediately," McCallum said Tuesday. "When we talk to police and business, they consider it one of the main problems in bringing an undesirable element into that area." He says the service, in Whalley since 1992, can be dispersed throughout the city, using provincial health units in Whalley, South Surrey, Cloverdale and Surrey Memorial Hospital. McCallum has the backing of at least one local MLA. Elayne Brenzinger, the Liberal MLA for Surrey-Whalley, said she supports the closure of the exchange in favour of a facility at Surrey Memorial Hospital. However, former minister of health and Surrey Coun. Penny Priddy said the concept of using hospitals and health units to distribute needles is ill-conceived. "Are all health units close to transit and easy to get to?" Priddy asked, adding addicts will go where it's most convenient to shoot up. "They go into your backyard, my backyard and the backyard of the businesses up there, and that's where they'll leave their needles," Priddy said. She understands there are crime problems in Whalley, and supports increased enforcement, but maintains closing the exchange is only going to increase the spread of disease. "Between 1998 and 2008 they expect to be a 126 per cent increase in hepatitis C," Priddy said. "Eighty-eight per cent of that are (intravenous) drug users." Hepatitis C patients cost the province about $100 million to treat about 40,000 people with the disease, according to provincial health officer, Dr. Perry Kendall. Of the about the 3,000 new patients per year, one in five comes from south of the Fraser, he said Tuesday. "It will cost way more than it costs to police it or anything else," said Priddy. "The health costs are enormous -- I think (the closure) almost creates a health epidemic -- people are going to stop using clean needles." Linda Syssoloff, South Fraser Community Services program director, agrees with that assessment. Without easy access to clean hypodermics, Syssoloff warned the incidence of HIV and hepatitis C would rise as junkies share needles. "It would be an infectious disease epidemic," Syssoloff said. Currently, the exchange collects more needles than it distributes, Syssoloff said, pointing to statistics for December that show the service handled out 15,875 needles while collecting 16,223 for disposal. That shows addicts are using the exchange to dispose of needles instead of dumping them on the street, Syssoloff believes, noting regular sweeps of the area by staff show less than a dozen needles are discovered near the exchange in any given month. Syssoloff described the addicts who use the Whalley service as people "making the first step toward treatment" by trying to protect their health. "Most people who come to the exchange, they drive down, they get what they need, and they leave." An addict who uses the service told The Leader she would be more likely to share needles if clean hypodermics are not easily available. "More than likely, I would (use a dirty injector)," said Shelly, a 41-year-old homeless woman who has hepatitis C. If clean needles are not easily available, "people are going to buy them or steal them," Shelly predicted. Jim Bennett, who operates the needle exchange, said Monday he spoke with the minister in charge of the program, Surrey-Panorama MLA Dr. Gulzar Cheema, who said it's provincial policy, "and it's staying where it is." Cheema told The Leader Tuesday the Whalley needle exchange is a model service and should remain at its current location. "The political campaigns are over, let's concentrate on the facts," said Cheema. "This issue is not a part of crime prevention ... I think we need to keep on focusing on the issue which is important for these people who are suffering from a substance abuse disorder..." McCallum said that if the exchange doesn't comply with his request, he'll have it shut down. He wouldn't say how that could be done. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom