A.C. NEEDLE EXCHANGE / A SUCCESSFUL YEAR

Does Atlantic City's year-old needle-exchange program appear more of a
success ... or a failure? That depends on who's viewing the
statistics. In our view, it looks like a success - with some room for
improvement.

That's because the first year's numbers indicate that Atlantic City's
program has the highest number of addicts in the state seeking clean
needles - 576, compared with 514 in Camden, 421 in Paterson and 297 in
Newark. Additionally, it had the second-highest rate of exchange: 52.9
percent of the needles have been returned to the city's Tennessee
Avenue facility, an indication that used needles are not being passed
on.

The primary reason for the program is to stop the reuse of needles
that can spread HIV/AIDS. And it appears from these figures that
Atlantic City's outreach to addicts is very good, that it's doing well
at attempting to fulfill that primary mission.

On the other hand, Atlantic City's needle-exchange program has the
lowest percentage of addicts who are referred to drug-treatment
programs - 12.9 percent, compared with 56.4 percent in Camden, 34.3
percent in Newark and 41.3 percent in Paterson. Getting addicts into
treatment and connected to social services was another, secondary goal
of the program.

Needle-exchange programs did not come easily to New Jersey. There was
strong opposition from people who believe - wrongly, experts say -
that it fosters drug use. And so there was opposition from politicians
who feared their constitutents would think they were voting to
sanction drug use.

Ultimately, though, a bill was passed setting up pilot programs in as
many as four cities, including Atlantic City.

One reason the legislation finally got enough support to pass the
state Legislature were some of the caveats attached to it - including
reporting requirements, an independent analysis of the program's
effectiveness, and an emphasis on getting people linked to health
care, drug-rehabilitation programs and other social services. In fact,
the only money included in the bill was $10 million targeted solely
for drug treatment.

So that's why some people might see the Atlantic City results as
representing something of a failure - because too few people were
referred to treatment.

But numbers don't tell the whole story. Remember these numbers just
indicate referrals, not necessarily success stories. As a coordinator
of the city's program said, getting addicts into treatment is a
balancing act - push too hard, and addicts are scared away.

Now that these first statistics are in, they show where the city
should try to improve its performance. Perhaps officials can see if
other cities have ideas on how to increase referrals without
discouraging addicts from seeking clean needles.

Getting people off drugs and linked with social services is a
desirable result of needle-exchange programs. But stemming HIV/AIDS is
the primary reason. And the spread of AIDS from reusing needles does
not end at the addict - it spreads to sexual partners and children as
well.

If lives have been saved, Atlantic City's program is a success.