Pubdate: Thu, 27 Mar 2014
Source: Londoner, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 The Londoner
Contact: http://www.thelondoner.ca/letters
Website: http://www.thelondoner.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3768
Author: Sheryl Rooth

USED NEEDLES ARE A PROBLEM

The first time I ever saw someone shoot up was about nine years ago. 
It was in a public washroom downtown. The door of their bathroom 
stall was ajar and her reflection was in front of me as I washed my 
hands. I didn't want to see it, it was just there. She was just 
there, with a syringe in her arm and a haunted, empty look on her 
face. It startled me when her bag fell onto the floor and some of the 
contents fell out and slid near my feet. It was girl stuff, like 
flavoured lip gloss. She didn't move. I don't think she even realized 
I was there. I gathered my stuff and left the washroom quickly.

I didn't ask her if she was OK. I didn't look back to see if she was 
conscious. I found a security guard and told him what was happening. 
And I went home. I was angry on so many levels. I was angry that she 
had an addiction. I was angry that children could have walked in and 
been witness. I was angry that I didn't do anything and couldn't have 
done anything even if I tried. Nine years later, we're finding used 
needles everywhere in the city. In parks, on school yards - anywhere 
there is a sheltered place to inject, you can find them. And it's a problem.

Last week at the Middlesex-London Health Unit meeting, a motion was 
made and withdrawn due to a pending report to pay 25 cents for every 
used needle that was returned. Annually, social agencies distribute 
approximately 2.3 million needles in London, with little more than 
half returned (not accounting for what is left in the 13 needle drop 
boxes throughout the core, SOHO and OEV). This idea would be limited 
to licensing a small number of people, including addicts, who could 
be paid in cash or vouchers.

In theory, this may seem like a means to an end. In reality, we would 
be enabling addicts to buy more drugs, risking their lives and the 
lives of others. It would be a continuous cycle of picking up needles 
and buying more drugs with the proceeds that we provide. So the 
healthy people stay healthy and the sick get to stay sick. It tells 
an addict that we really don't care if they live or die, so long as 
they clean this up for us, one quarter at a time. Their privacy isn't 
important and neither is their future.

I would spitball an annual figure for this project at about $250,000 
just for the needles, should every needle be returned. That wouldn't 
include any administrative costs for running the program. We do have 
alternatives in London currently to pick up used needles, but more 
funding for that would be a pro-active choice. London Community 
Action Response Strategy (London CAReS) offers syringe recovery on a 
seven day a week basis. Perhaps if they had more resources, they 
could retrieve them considerably quicker and more efficiently, 
lessening the stress and frustration of those who find syringes 
daily. We'll keep our neighbourhoods safe and we don't feed a habit.

By giving out free needles, we're already on track to turning a 
corner on the spread of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C because users aren't 
sharing needles. Expecting them to be accountable for their needle 
return isn't unreasonable, but it is unlikely. Addiction is never 
reasonable. It's never sensible. And it's never convenient. When 
chasing the next high is all consuming, we are the ones who must be 
accountable for them. Community supports and treatment options that 
don't have wait lists that are months long are what help an addict, 
not paying them to stay addicted by collecting used needles. If we 
can't agree on safe injection sites, then perhaps more sharps boxes 
are needed, because like it or not, this is our reality. A city-wide reality.

If you find a used needle in your neighbourhood, do not try to remove 
it yourself. Call London CAReS at 519-667-2273 for safe disposal.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom