CLEAN NEEDLES IN PRISON

To the Editor:

The most surprising part of "A Health Danger From a Needle Becomes a Scourge
Behind Bars" (front page, Aug. 6) was the idea that most inmates contracted
hepatitis C through intravenous drug use before they entered prison. I don't
see how this can account for the spread of this disease behind bars.

Prison officials should acknowledge that inmates still use drugs, and then
the officials should start a harm-reduction program that would distribute
clean needles. Prisoners are more likely to share dirty needles than people
on the outside because of their lack of resources, and needle exchanges have
proved to be the most effective way of stopping the spread of diseases like
AIDS, tuberculosis and hepatitis.

Andrew Epstein, New York, Aug. 6, 2001

The writer is president of the Amherst College chapter of Students for
Sensible Drug Policy.