Pubdate: Tue, 08 Jan 2008
Source: Baltimore Sun (MD)
Copyright: 2008 The Baltimore Sun Company
Contact:  http://www.baltimoresun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/37
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?163 (HIV/AIDS)

MORE CLEAN NEEDLES

The omnibus spending bill recently passed by Congress  contained at 
least one piece of good news for  Washington: A longtime restriction 
on using local funds  for needle exchange programs was lifted. 
Removing the  restriction was overdue because the district has one 
of  the nation's highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection, 
and  distributing clean needles to drug users could help  slow the 
spread. Regrettably, a nationwide ban on using  federal funds for 
needle exchange programs remains in  place. Congress should follow 
its sensible action on  D.C. and lift the national ban as well.

Although the federal prohibition has been in effect  since 1998, it 
is estimated that more than 210 needle  exchange programs are 
operating in 36 states, with  about half the programs using local and 
state funds.  While these programs are no panacea to the 
drug  epidemic, some studies show that clean needles can at  least 
reduce new cases of HIV. That's been true in  Maryland, where 
injection drug use as the cause of  newly diagnosed HIV cases has 
dropped from 60 percent  in 1994 to below 30 percent as of June 2007, 
according  to the state's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Despite such progress, conservative Republicans in  Congress have 
continued to block federal funds for  needle exchanges. And for the 
past decade, they have  also prevented Washington from using its own 
tax money  for such programs. After regaining control of Congress  in 
the 2006 elections, Democrats pushed successfully  for a course correction.

Local Washington officials could now follow Baltimore's  example, 
where more than 3 million syringes have been  distributed since 1994. 
The city's Health Department  operates two vans that visit 18 sites 
around the city  nearly every weekday as well as many evenings and 
weekends. Since July (the current fiscal year), the  city's needle 
exchange program has served nearly 6,100  clients, and more than 
163,860 syringes have been  exchanged.

Despite progress in reducing needle sharing and other  risky 
injection behaviors, the battle is far from over.  Recent studies 
show that Maryland and Baltimore rank  second in new AIDS cases among 
states and major cities,  respectively. But people who inject drugs 
and may become infected with HIV or develop AIDS don't always  stay 
in one place. More federal resources devoted to  the struggle would be welcome.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom