CRACK GOES MAINLINE

AIDS Activists Fear New Drug Habit Will Find Its Way To Springfield

A deadly phenomenon has hit the streets of Chicago and is certain to
trickle its way down Interstate 55 to Springfield.

According to Stephanie Strathdee, associate professor in the department of
epidemiology at John Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health,
intravenous (IV) drug users in Chicago have begun the practice of injecting
crack cocaine.

In the past, drug users only smoked crack, a hard rock form of cocaine,
because of its firmness.

"Now, IV drug users are dissoving the rock with liquids such as lemon juice
and vinegar and injecting it," Strathdee said at the Seventh Annual HIV/STD
Conference held November 16 through 18 at Springfield's Crowne Plaza Hotel.
The event was sponsored by the Illinois Department of Public Health, the
Illinois Statewide HIV/AIDS Network, and the Illinois State Board of
Education.

Strathdee and others speculate that the practice of injecting crack cocaine
will lead to an increase of IV drug use.

"And when there is IV drug use, HIV infection in never far behind. In fact
IV drug use is driving the HIV epidemic," Strathdee said.

Currently, said Strathdee, IV drug use accounts for one third of all AIDS
cases and about fifty percent of all new HIV cases.

"Not only are IV drug users themselves at an increased risk of contracting
HIV, but their sex partners and children are also at an increased risk of
becoming infected as a result of the IV drug use," she noted.

While Strathdee cited encouraging abstinence, drug treatment, and outreach
education as strategies to reduce the the risk of HIV among IV drug users,
she said studies indicate that needle exchange programs have resulted in a
reduction of infection among those who continue to inject drugs.

"A study of twenty-nine cities with needle exchange programs report the
number of HIV cases decrease an average of 5.8 percent per year."

In contrast, said Strathdee, a study of fifty-one cities without needle
exchange programs report a 5.9 percent increase of HIV cases among IV drug
users.

A major problem with needle exchange programs is that it is illegal.

While major cities such as Chicago and New York, as well as parts of
California, do have programs in which needles are distributed, AIDS
activist Tim Kuykendall says that it is usually done by universities under
the guise of research.

The issue of needle exhange programs is very controversial.

"There have been attempts to get the Sangamon County Public Health
Department to publicly support needle exchange programs, but thy have been
unwilling to do so," said Vickie Schmidt, executive director of Springfield
AIDS Resource Association.

Three years ago, Kuykendall failed in an attempt to get legislators to
introduce a bill legalizing distribution of needles. And he continues to
fight for such legislation.

"They won't even talk to me. When I mention needles they immediately clam
up," he said.

Kuykendall admits that supporting a bill that would legalize the
distribution of syringes that would be used to inject drugs is "political
suicide, but someone must step up and do it."

He continued: "I do not condone drug use by any means. Supporters of
needle exchange programs are just interested in cleaning the problem up. IV
drug use is already here and it is not going to go away. So lets make it
safe.

"One of the problems is that we are dealing with a very close-minded
society," he added. "The sad part about it is that if politicians, as well
as parents, would realize that it is their kids who are out there shooting
up then they would have a different view point. Unfortunately they tend to
think that it is not their kids. They're wrong. But I can't get those
fools to see that."

Checked-by: Richard Lake