News (Media Awareness Project) - CN ON: PUB LTE: We Need More Bins For Needles |
| Title: | CN ON: PUB LTE: We Need More Bins For Needles |
| Published On: | 2008-04-20 |
| Source: | Ottawa Citizen (CN ON) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-04-22 21:53:22 |
WE NEED MORE BINS FOR NEEDLES
Re: $200,000 sought for needle cleanup, April 15.
I am in full sympathy with people upset about finding used needles in
their neighbourhood. However, if they think that ending the
needle-handout program will put a stop to the problem they are truly
naive.
Needles are cheap, dirt cheap, and easily available at any drugstore.
All a drug addict needs to do is panhandle for a little while and they
can buy several of them. On the surface this may seem to make the
needle handouts unnecessary, but most drug addicts are lazy and it is
easier for them to go and get the free ones.
People also think that by stopping the needle handouts money will be
saved. The cost of the needle handouts is very low in comparison to
the cost of Aids drugs for one person for several years. Every HIV
infection prevented saves the taxpayer millions of dollars.
And others think that by stopping the needle handouts they will be
helping to fight drug addiction. It has been said that handing out
needles is like handing out candy to diabetic children. It is not, it
is like handing out candy wrappers. The candy is the drugs themselves,
and drug users will shoot up drugs regardless of whether really cheap
needles are handed out or not.
True, if needles are not handed out it may make it more likely that a
drug user will pick up a used needle off the ground and re-use it, but
I do not think that is what people with needle problems in their
neighbourhoods really want.
The cheapest solution is to put more needle garbage bins up: they are
cheap and easy to install. Every time someone complains about needles
in a location, one should go up. Remember more needles are collected
in the few bins that already up than are handed out for free.
The best solution however is to advocate more funds for psychological
counselling and drug programs. These save money in the long run by
reducing health care costs for diseases like AIDs and reducing crime.
Stopping free needle handouts is a short sighted and simple minded
solution that will do nothing to end the needle problem.
Steven Scott,
Ottawa
Re: $200,000 sought for needle cleanup, April 15.
I am in full sympathy with people upset about finding used needles in
their neighbourhood. However, if they think that ending the
needle-handout program will put a stop to the problem they are truly
naive.
Needles are cheap, dirt cheap, and easily available at any drugstore.
All a drug addict needs to do is panhandle for a little while and they
can buy several of them. On the surface this may seem to make the
needle handouts unnecessary, but most drug addicts are lazy and it is
easier for them to go and get the free ones.
People also think that by stopping the needle handouts money will be
saved. The cost of the needle handouts is very low in comparison to
the cost of Aids drugs for one person for several years. Every HIV
infection prevented saves the taxpayer millions of dollars.
And others think that by stopping the needle handouts they will be
helping to fight drug addiction. It has been said that handing out
needles is like handing out candy to diabetic children. It is not, it
is like handing out candy wrappers. The candy is the drugs themselves,
and drug users will shoot up drugs regardless of whether really cheap
needles are handed out or not.
True, if needles are not handed out it may make it more likely that a
drug user will pick up a used needle off the ground and re-use it, but
I do not think that is what people with needle problems in their
neighbourhoods really want.
The cheapest solution is to put more needle garbage bins up: they are
cheap and easy to install. Every time someone complains about needles
in a location, one should go up. Remember more needles are collected
in the few bins that already up than are handed out for free.
The best solution however is to advocate more funds for psychological
counselling and drug programs. These save money in the long run by
reducing health care costs for diseases like AIDs and reducing crime.
Stopping free needle handouts is a short sighted and simple minded
solution that will do nothing to end the needle problem.
Steven Scott,
Ottawa
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