Pubdate: Wed, 25 Oct 2006
Source: Oliver Chronicle (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Oliver Chronicle
Contact:  http://www.oliverchronicle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/875
Author: Laurena Weninger
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)

MAN CONTINUES FIGHT FOR NEEDLE DISPOSAL CONTAINERS

The discovery of three hypodermic needles in the last two weeks, has 
once again refueled Randy Asling's fever to see the Town take action 
to ensure no one gets injured.

"I might get a full time job looking for needles around here," Asling 
joked, displaying the latest discovery -- a syringe, complete with 
needle, in a flower bed on the corner of Main Street and 360th Avenue.

"The needles last week were in the park, down on the ground, by the 
middle garbage can." He said that of those syringes, only one 
actually had the needle still attached.

Asling knows it only takes a poke from one hypodermic needle to turn 
a life upside down. Asling was removing garbage from Lion's Park in 
Oct., 1994, when he was stabbed by a dirty needle that he believes 
led to his contraction of Hepatitis C.

Back then, in his work as a garbage collector, he was about to change 
the garbage in the park's container. There were several plastic 
grocery-store bags on top, blocking the lock keeping the container closed.

He grabbed a handful of the bags, and the needle went into his thumb. 
It was the late '90s when Asling started to notice his health 
decline, and he was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, in 2001.

Now, he wants to ensure no one else finds himself in a similar 
predicament. He has been trying for more than four years to convince 
local authorities to install needle disposal containers in the public 
parks. So far, they haven't seem ed to be in agreement that it is necessary.

Public health nurse Megan Klammer has been dealing with Asling over 
the last few years. She said, they are still waiting on surveys to 
come back from the public, identifying top health concerns prior to 
taking any sort of action.

Asling said she recently told him it might be possible to set up a 
needle exchange program, to allow users to return dirty needles to a 
location in town and receive a clean one.

Klammer said the survey -- which was originally in the works and 
targeted for release in early 2005 -- is still in the works.

"I have a couple of nursing students helping to consolidate the 
community responses and input around the whole issue of needles," she 
said, adding she won't release the report until they finalize the 
details. She thinks it will be ready about mid-November -- but there 
might be a chance that a needle-exchange program will be formalized.

"There is currently a program in Oliver, where you are able to 
dispose of your needles in a few agencies in town," she said, adding 
it might hopefully be expanded into a full exchange.

Asling said he is pleased to hear the news.

"It's a start. A needle exchange would be great. At least that is an 
acknowledgement of the issue," Asling said, adding it's all about 
keeping others safe.

"These are your kids, my kids, future kids."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom