Pubdate: Wed, 17 Jun 2015
Source: Cape Breton Post (CN NS)
Copyright: 2015 Cape Breton Post
Contact:  http://www.capebretonpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/777
Author: Nancy King
Page: A3

NEEDLE NUMBERS UP

"It doesn't necessarily mean we have an increase in drug use"

Needle exchange seeing huge annual increase in sharps distributed.

Cape Breton's needle exchange is continuing to see huge increases
year-to-year in the number of needles it distributes but its executive
director said it's not necessarily a clear correlation to increased
drug use in a region that already has a significant drug problem.

Christine Porter, executive director of the Ally Centre of Cape
Breton, said the increase - more than 140,000 additional needles in
the past year, for a total of 623,000 - is alarming but could be due
to increased knowledge of the service and the desire by drug users for
harm reduction.

The previous year saw an increase of 100,000 needles.

"It doesn't necessarily mean we have an increase in drug use," she
said. "It could be the fact that IV drug users are being responsible
and thinking about their own health."

But Porter doesn't downplay the significance of the problem of drug
abuse in Cape Breton, noting the region has the highest rates of
hepatitis C and overdoses per capita in the province.

"We really want to bring awareness to the fact that there are ways to
prevent these cases of hepatitis C from happening, there are ways to
prevent overdose from happening, and that is a lot of education and
programming that's in place that needs to be accessed, not just by
people who are using drugs but by the community at large," Porter said.

Being able to recognize when someone is showing signs of overdose can
lead to taking the necessary steps to saving a life, she noted. To
that end, The Ally Centre is working to launch a series of community
forums around overdose prevention, including workshops.

"Hopefully people will take part and know that they have a part in all
of this," Porter said.

They are currently working on the workshop content and expect to
launch the sessions in the next couple of months.

The work of the centre may be misunderstood by some in the community,
Porter said, stressing that they do not encourage drug abuse.

"We're promoting health among individuals who deserve health,
everybody has a right to health," she said. "People really need to get
educated around harm reduction.

"To just say no, it's never worked, it's not going to
work."

Last year, the centre began placing boxes for collection of used
needles at key locations around the Cape Breton Regional Municipality
and they continue to be well-used.

"That was a great pilot of sorts, and we know that it's wanted and
it's needed," Porter said.

The initiative came out of a blood-borne pathogen working group that
the coalition and the Cape Breton District Health Authority formed a
couple of years ago to devise a strategy for the district.

The CBRM will soon mount pole-mounted bins in local
parks.

"They have them in their possession now and they will be mounting
them," Porter said.

Two of the larger bins are also ready to be installed and Porter said
they are trying to determine the "hot spots" where they would be most
needed.

She added that if anyone wants to suggest a location where a bin is
needed, they can contact the centre.

The centre has been assured of receiving half of its funding from the
province and likely won't know if it will receive more money until
September.

"I do have every faith, we are in the process of not so much appealing
but letting them know that we need additional funding," Porter said.
"We're hoping that they will re-look and revise and give us that
additional funding come September. If not, then we're in big trouble."
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MAP posted-by: Matt