Pubdate: Wed, 04 Oct 2006
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Mary Davies

POINTLESS TO HIDE NEEDLE PROBLEM

During my son's ninth birthday party in Beacon Hill Park, one of the 
adults spotted a syringe on the grass where we were grouping up to 
take the photo. Once we got rid of it the kids were rolling around on 
the grass right where the syringe had been found. What a different 
ending this party could have had were it not for the great eyes of 
one of the parents.

For so many reasons I believe a safe-injection site is a good thing 
for users and the public. The health-care costs incurred by the 
spread of disease through shared needles, improper use of needles and 
the public getting stuck by one hiding in the grass simply must 
outweigh the costs of a safe-injection site.

My children apparently need to be worried about rolling around on the 
grass in a park. The school they attend has also been hit quite hard 
with left-behind syringes and I worry about the health risk this is 
creating for our kids.

Many people think a safe-injection site is condoning drug use. That 
is ridiculous. If people want to hide the drug problem they may find 
it stuck in their child at a birthday party. A safe-injection site is 
good for everyone.

Mary Davies,

Victoria.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine