SANE NEEDLES: COUNTY BOARD MUST ACT TO SLOW DOWN AIDS

The recent conviction of a volunteer working with Sacramento Area
Needle Exchange (SANE) has prompted the organization to look to come
out into the sunshine. They want the Sacramento Board of Supervisors
to finally legitimize their valuable public health work. It's time
for the supervisors to show as much courage as the volunteers who've
been working to slow the spread of HIV.

In 1994, a majority of the board voted to create a needle-exchange
program. But a Superior Court judge said handing out needles violated
existing law. Since then, state law has changed and local governments
now have the authority to approve needle exchanges by declaring a
public health emergency. Unfortunately, activists say, there are now
only two sure-fire supporters of a needle-exchange program left on
the board -- Roger Dickinson and Illa Collin.

Those opposed to the program don't question whether handing out clean
needles to drug users reduces the spread of HIV and hepatitis C.
Dozens of studies have proved the public health benefit of the
programs. HIV infection rates among intravenous drug users have
dropped by more than half in the last decade, an improvement that Dr.
Glennah Trochet, the county's public health officer, attributes
partly to SANE's efforts.

Instead, opponents charge that exchanging needles will encourage drug
use. But the studies show that's not true. City and county health
officials from San Francisco to San Diego believe needle exchange
programs in their communities have reduced disease transmission and
helped dispose of dirty needles that would otherwise wind up strewn
on sidewalks and in parks. The programs also give public health
workers a chance to speak face to face to addicts about health issues
and to distribute preventive supplies such as alcohol swabs and
condoms.

Last time the supervisors dealt with this issue, in 1994, the measure
passed only after Supervisor Toby Johnson, moved by the testimony of
needle-exchange supporters, changed his No vote to a Yes at the last
minute. This year, Dickinson and Collin should place this issue back
on the agenda and hope one of their colleagues experiences the same
kind of community-minded epiphany.

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