DRUG USERS TURN IN 99% OF NEEDLES

Harm-Reduction Program Audit 'Encouraging,' Chief Medical Officer Says

Ottawa's controversial harm-reduction programs saw far more used
needles returned than clean ones handed out in 2008, a city study has
determined. And of all the used needles recovered, 99 per cent were
returned by drug users themselves.

The report by the city public health department on the performance of
needle distribution and collection programs last year followed a
heated public debate on harm-reduction programs.

While supporters of the public health service argued the programs
saved lives, others expressed alarm at what appeared to be an
increasing number of discarded needles on city streets and questioned
whether clean crack pipe programs were just encouraging drug use.

Eventually, evidence that such programs cut the spread of diseases,
such as hepatitis C and HIV, led to the province taking over funding
for the pipe program and the city was legally required by the
province to run a needle-exchange program.

In the face of complaints from residents who found used needles in
their neighbourhoods, Ottawa city council ordered improved collection
measures to determine the extent of the problem.

As the public health department began to collect evidence in 2008, it
re-evaluated how the number of returned needles were estimated. Dr.
Isra Levy, the city's chief medical officer of health and a supporter
of the program, said previous calculations underestimated the number
of needles being returned.

The report concludes 507,692 used needles were recovered by various
means in the city last year while only 372,000 clean needles were
given out through the department and its public health service providers.

Of the recovered used needles, 229,400 were dropped in 20 safe boxes
that the city places around the municipality. Drug users returned
273,415 used needles in exchange for clean ones through various
means, including public health vans that visit areas where drug use is common.

Special teams of needle hunters contracted by the city to scour areas
where drug users are known to discard needles openly recovered 3,350
needles. A hotline fielded 27 calls and led to the recovery of 247 needles.

Levy said the higher number of needles collected compared to the
number distributed reflects the fact that needles can also be
purchased for medical reasons, including diabetics who inject insulin
and also for use in animal injections.

He said the numbers also indicate that public-health workers who
distribute the needles are doing an "excellent job" in reinforcing
the need for safe disposal.

Levy also said drug addicts, when relatively composed, are much like
most non-addicts, "socially conscientious people who don't want to
harm others," so they make sure they discard their needles properly.
When they are in bad shape and using heavily, those thoughts fade, he
said. At those times, he added, they are more likely to discard used
syringes anywhere. This is evidenced by the one per cent of collected
needles that aren't returned to drop boxes or through exchange programs.

Levy said studies show that in most cities, only about 70 per cent of
needles given out by harm-reduction programs are returned by users,
and the numbers in Ottawa eclipse that. "I find these numbers very
encouraging, but, of course, the unfortunate thing is that there are
any not discarded safely," he said.

Stittsville-Kanata West Councillor Shad Qadri, who has campaigned to
restrict the number of needles handed out to addicts to a one-for-one
exchange, was particularly happy with the increase in needles
retrieved by the needle-hunters.

In 2007, 1,414 needles were retrieved this way, and in 2008, 3,350
were picked up by these workers.

However, Qadri said he was surprised by the finding that more needles
are returned than given out, and that of those returned, 99 per cent
are safely discarded by the users themselves. He said this spring he
will be conducting his own survey of areas where drug users are known
to congregate to see if there are fewer discarded needles than before.

The city report is slated to be discussed by city council's
community-services committee on Monday.