SWISS PRISONERS SUPPLIED WITH NEEDLES SPARED AIDS, HEP C

Since 1994, when a women's prison in Switzerland began handing out
hypodermic needles to prevent the spread of blood-borne diseases, not one
of the institution's prisoners has been diagnosed with a new case of
HIV/AIDS or hepatitis C.

Daniela De Santis, a nurse at the prison, told a conference in Vancouver on
Tuesday that the Swiss experience suggests needles could be distributed in
prisons in other countries to help prevent the transmission of deadly diseases.

De Santis spoke to the Canadian Association of Nurses in AIDS Care Tuesday
before heading to Burnaby's B.C. Correctional Centre for Women for private
meetings with prison officials.

A study presented at the same conference on Monday showed 70 per cent of
women prisoners surveyed at the Burnaby

prison used injection drugs like cocaine and heroin before their
incarceration. Twenty-one per cent continued using injection drugs inside
the prison, and 82 per cent of those injection drug users shared needles
with other prisoners.

De Santis told nurses who work with AIDS patients both in and out of
prisons that Swiss prison administrators continue to search for illegal
drugs and confiscate them when found. Prisoners lose privileges, like
permits to leave the prison during the day.

"It's not that we have given up on punishing drug consumption," she said.

However, drugs get smuggled into prisons in Switzerland and other
countries. De Santis said prisoners use injection drugs when the drugs
become available and they can afford them.

In 1994, after 14 studies, the Hindelbank women's prison near Bern became
the first Swiss prison to distribute needles to prisoners.

There are 110 prisoners at Hindelbank, and De Santis said a majority are
serving time for drug-related offences. Three-quarters of the injection
drug users said they had used heroin or cocaine sometime during the month
before being sent to the prison.

When a woman is admitted to the prison, De Santis questions them about
their drug and medical history. Injection drug users are given the option
of going on methadone, as a substitute for heroin.

All new inmates are also given a clear plastic container with a "dummy"
syringe -- something shaped like the medical instrument used to inject drugs.

Real needles are distributed from box-shaped dispensers similar to
condom-dispensing machines found in airport washrooms. De Santis said
officials didn't want to be accused of giving a non-user their first
needle, so they have to put the "dummy" in the machine to get their first
real needle.

More than 5,000 needles have been dispensed from the machines since 1994.

Before the machines were installed, almost half of the injection drug users
admitted they exchanged needles, but De Santis said just a few say they are
now sharing needles.

According to De Santis, fears that a syringe-dispensing machine would
encourage non-users to try injection drugs have proven to be unfounded.

Prisoners at the Swiss prison undergo urine tests for drug use, and De
Santis says the tests show that prisoners are not developing a drug habit
they did not have before entering the prison.

"Some have started to smoke [marijuana], but we have never found anyone
taking hard drugs," she said.

De Santis also said needles have never been used as weapons, although some
prisoners have used them for tattooing.

Shirley Cox, a nurse and professional practices director with the Canadian
prison system, said Corrections Canada doesn't know how many federal
prisoners are sharing needles, but a study last year suggested it was not
uncommon for one needle to be shared with as many as 200 inmates.

Cox said bleach is given to inmates to sterilize needles, and Corrections
Canada is working to implement several harm-reduction programs to prevent
the spread of AIDS and other diseases.

"Needle distribution is one of [the programs], but there are many other
factors -- from our social perspective in Canada -- that we have to examine
before we leap into the water," Cox said.