NEEDLE EXCHANGE

A Weapon Against HIV

New Jersey finally has needle-exchange programs in Camden, Paterson
and Atlantic City. That's good news in the fight to stem the spread
of HIV/AIDS by drug addicts.

The move was long overdue in New Jersey, which was the last state to
accept such programs. Gov. Corzine signed legislation in 2006
allowing needle exchange in at least six cities.

Now, the state needs to provide some funding to keep the fledging
effort afloat long-term and proceed quickly with plans to start
programs in other key cities.

There's work for the federal government, too, which should heed the
call by a coalition of African American groups to repeal a
20-year-old ban on federal funding for needle exchange.

African Americans accounted for roughly half of new HIV cases in
2005, according to federal figures. Yet, they are only 13 percent of
the U.S. population.

Lifting the funding ban would help shore up programs nationwide that
struggle to raise money. Federal money would boost efforts to stop
the transmission of disease and offer intervention for intravenous
drug abusers.

Experts estimate the injection of illegal drugs is responsible for a
third of new HIV cases nationally. An estimated one million people in
the United States inject drugs, and fewer than 20 percent use needle
exchange, according to the Harm Reduction Coaliton, which wants to
repeal the federal funding ban. Many among the remaining 80 percent
are sharing needles.

New Jersey ranks fifth nationally in AIDS cases, with 48,431
cumulative cases reported in 2005 and injection drug users accounting
for half of the cases.

The Camden Area Health Education Center began distributing free,
clean needles last month at Broadway and Fairview Street in Camden's
waterfront South neighborhood. But it could run out of money.

The group raised about $82,000 in private donations to launch the
pilot program, said spokeswoman Lois Teer. That's enough to
distribute needles for only three hours once a week from an outreach van.

That's inadequate for an impoverished city where one in every 100
residents is infected with HIV/AIDS.

A needle-exchange program that operates twice a week in Atlantic City
has yielded good results since it began in November. More than 170
people have come in for clean needles and several have agreed to seek
drug treatment.

Paterson recently started a program, and Newark is scheduled to begin soon.

Critics say needle exchange sends the wrong message to addicts and
promotes illegal drug use. They believe any additional funding should
be used for treatment programs to help them kick the habit.

But needle exchange has merit, too, and should be given a chance. The
programs have tremendous health benefits for those who would
otherwise use contaminated syringes. Needle exchange could save
millions in medical costs and save lives.

For every dirty needle, addicts in the Camden program can get 11
clean needles, sterile cotton swabs and containers for disposing of
the used needles, which helps cut the number of dirty needles often
found strewn in drug areas.

Addicts also are offered medical checkups, HIV testing and
counseling, and drug-treatment referrals.

While New Jersey was last in legalizing needle-exchange programs, it
has finally done the right thing by starting three in a short time.
Now the state needs to make sure the programs get the financial
support they need to make a difference.