ANOTHER THREAT FROM ADDICTS

In Brief: The danger posed to children by discarded hypodermic needles is
just one more tragic side effect of drug addiction.

A dramatic increase in the number of discarded hypodermic needles being
found in Regina is a perfect example of how drug addiction has a dangerous
ripple effect.

Intravenous drug users inject themselves with a variety of potentially
deadly substances like cocaine -- which police said in January is Regina's
No. 1 drug problem -- and heroin. The prescription drugs Talwin and Ritalin
are also sold illegally and then combined and injected by some for an
opium-type high.

The result is that a lot of dirty needles are turning up on Regina's
streets, exposing children who might innocently play with them -- and
anyone who might step on a needle and be accidentally stuck -- to
potentially fatal diseases like Hepatitis C or HIV.

The needle problem is growing. Already this year, city firefighters have
received 133 calls asking them to pick up needles found in yards, alleys
and dumpsters. At this pace the problem will be far worse than in 2003 --
when firefighters responded to more than 400 needle calls -- or in 2000,
when there were just over 100 calls.

At each call, firefighters might find up to 60 needles, says fire
department spokesperson Angela Prawzick. Firefighters are specially trained
to safely collect the needles in biohazard containers for the Regina
Qu'Appelle Health District, which is mandated to dispose of them.

Between a drug user shooting up and some child finding a needle in the
street or a back alley is a lot of personal hurt and general harm to society.

Addicts destroy their careers and health, risk death and hurt their
families. They often turn to prostitution and theft to fund their habit.
Police chief Cal Johnston said last month that most of those responsible
for a 70-per-cent increase in break and enters in the city this year were
adults, average age 25, many of whom were stealing property to support a
drug habit.

As police and other agencies continue to wage war on illegal drugs and try
to catch those committing break and enters, we can all play a part in
preventing further serious consequences of drug abuse by a) warning
children to stay away from any needles they might find and b) calling 9-1-1
and letting the fire department know where discarded needles are.