Pubdate: Thu, 22 Jan 2015
Source: Metro (Calgary, CN AB)
Copyright: 2015 Metro Canada
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/Calgary
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4471
Author: Morgan Modjeski
Page: A1

HALF A MILLION NEEDLES HANDED OUT AS HARM-REDUCTION PROGRAM GROWS

More than 1.8 million clean needles distributed over past four
years

Nearly half a million needles were handed out in Calgary last year as
uptake of safe injection services offered through Alberta Health
Services' Safeworks program continues to rise.

According to AHS data provided to Metro, 499,086 needles were
distributed through the harm-reduction program in Calgary last year,
an increase of roughly 27 per cent from the 390,285 handed out in 2011.

Debbie Newman, executive director with the Calgary Drop-In and Rehab
Centre, which offers a needle-exchange program to its clients through
Safeworks, said the increase is encouraging, on the whole.

"The fact that they see more needle users, that's not necessarily a
good thing," she said. "But the fact that they are reaching out to
people at Alberta Health Services is a positive thing in my mind."

Newman said the needle exchange offers a chance for intravenous drug
users to engage with social-service providers and build relationships
- - and trust - with people who can help connect them with health care
and addictions treatment.

"Harm reduction goes much further than just handing out a needle," she
stressed. "It's promoting safe practices, it's talking about
interventions where you can try to get people to reduce needle usage,
go into treatment (or) refer to them other services that may be available."

Newman said drug suppliers have been producing larger volumes of
narcotics for less cost and making the substances more easily
accessible to marginalized people.

Calgary police saw heroin charges increase by 26 per cent last year as
compared to 2013, a change they attributed to increased
enforcement.

While the number of needles distributed through Safeworks has risen,
the number of syringes collected by the Calgary Fire Department
through its Safe Streets deposit boxes has dropped by almost 40 per
cent since 2006.

Fire department spokeswoman Carol Henke said the needle-collection
program will continue, but the lower numbers they're seeing may free
up resources for other tasks.

"Where it really can affect our front-line service to Calgarians is
when less needles wind up on the streets, in parking lots, in
playgrounds (and) in school yards," she said.

"We get called through 911 or through the non-emergency line to go and
retrieve those safely so that they aren't putting Calgarians at risk,"
Henke added. "The less calls like that we get, that frees up our
frontline services for our high-priority work."

Since 2011, the AHS Safeworks Harm Reduction Program has distributed
more than 1.8 million needles.
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MAP posted-by: Matt