HOLIDAY SYRINGE SERVICE WARNING

PUBLIC health is at heightened risk from dumped syringes over the Easter
break, drug experts have warned. With limited needle exchange facilities
open over the five-day holiday period, they warn drug addicts may resort to
sharing needles and disposing of them inappropriately.

The Link Youth Health Service, one of the state's main needle exchange
outlets, has criticised the State Government for not taking precautions
over the break.

The Link manager Lianne Barden said: "If they (intravenous drug users)
can't return their needles there is going to be an increased risk to
everyone in terms of inappropriately disposed equipment."

And she said if drug users shared needles there was an increased risk of
disease to themselves, their families and loved ones.

Hobart's major needle exchanges - the Link and TAScard - are closed over
Easter. The only facility open is the Government's detoxification unit at
56 Collins St.

But Ms Barden said the service was inadequate for this weekend's demand
because it only provided syringes with 1ml barrels, while the bulk of the
state's IV drug users required 5ml, 10ml and 20ml syringes.

While it would be too expensive to keep all needle exchange outlets open
over Easter, she said measures could have been taken to adequately equip
the detox unit and increase its staffing levels.

She said The Link had warned the Government about the problem and advised
it to supply the correct equipment to the unit.

"But we haven't even received a phone call in reply," she said.

The lack of available equipment meant drug users were more likely to share
needles.

"There is no way for them to get clean equipment," Ms Barden said.

She said there also was limited opportunity for IV drug users to dispose of
needles because so many services were closed.

The Link youth health worker Victoria Henderson said the lack of facilities
meant public syringe disposal bins would be inundated.

"In five days the public ones are going to be overflowing," she said.

But the state's acting director of health advancement John Leary said IV
drug users, like all Tasmanians, should simply plan ahead for holiday periods.

"We are not aware of any problems in the past and the concerns raised by
The Link may, at the most, amount to a minor inconvenience for some people
rather than a significant problem," he said.

"For those who don't plan ahead, the Needle Syringe Exchange Program
provides a 24-hour, seven-day a week service at 56 Collins St."

The comments follow revelations in The Mercury this week that residents of
a cul-de-sac in Lindisfarne were considering blockading their street to
keep drug users from using it as a makeshift injecting area.