NEEDLE PROGRAM IS URGED

The Tristate's leading group of AIDS experts issued a statement Tuesday
supporting the need for a needle exchange program in Cincinnati, despite
heavy political opposition.

"The Greater Cincinnati AIDS Consortium supports the availability of needle
exchange programs which include adherence to public health and infection
control guidelines, access for referral to treatment and rehabilitation
services, and education about the transmission of HIV disease," reads the
policy statement from the consortium.

The statement was approved 10-0, with five abstentions.

The consortium includes representatives from more than a dozen agencies and
institutions that provide services for people with AIDS. Those
organizations include AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati, AIDS Volunteers of
Northern Kentucky, Caracole Inc., Children's Hospital Medical Center, the
Hamilton County Department of Human Services and the Cincinnati Health
Department.

The consortium cited statistics from the National Commission on AIDS that
32 percent of all adult AIDS cases and 71 percent of all female AIDS cases
in the United States are related to injected drug use.

Consortium members said the next step is to increase advocacy efforts for a
needle exchange program, including pushing for changes in drug
paraphernalia laws in the interest of public health.

Medical experts widely agree that needle exchanges help prevent a common
cause of HIV infection -- drug users who share needles and other
preparation works. Studies also indicate that needle exchange programs do
not encourage more people to use drugs.

However, the Cincinnati Health Department has been reluctant to launch a
needle exchange program, citing a lack of community support, a lack of
urgent need and conflicts with state law banning the distribution of drug
paraphernalia.

Despite support from medical experts, any local needle exchange program
would face a political fight from conservative, religious and anti-drug
groups concerned about the message such a program would send. City
Councilman Charlie Winburn has pledged to block use of any city money or
outside funds to start one.

Reflecting all this, the new Greater Cincinnati HIV prevention plan --
adopted in March to guide AIDS-related spending through 2001 for all of
Hamilton, Clermont and Butler counties -- lists launching a needle exchange
program as a second-level priority.

That means no money, because there isn't enough funding to support several
high-priority prevention programs.

(SIDEBAR)

Around The U.S.

Nationwide, at least 113 legal and illegal needle exchange programs operate
in 80 cities in 32 states -- including two in Cleveland -- according to a
study by the Beth Israel Medical Center in New York.