ACCESS TO CLEAN NEEDLES WISE PUBLIC HEALTH MOVE

Thank you for your editorial support for syringe access. ("No harmful
side effects if needles become legal," The Republican, June 9).
Needle exchange programs have been shown to reduce the spread of HIV
without increasing drug use. They also serve as a bridge to drug
treatment for an especially hard to reach population. Unfortunately,
such programs give rise to a "not in my backyard" (NIMBY) reaction.

An alternative is syringe access regulation. Allowing drug users to
purchase clean needles in pharmacies has the added benefit of not
costing taxpayers a dime. Unfortunately, tough-on-drugs politicians
have built careers on confusing drug prohibition's collateral damage
with drugs themselves. Attempts to limit the supply of illegal drugs
while demand remains constant increase the profitability of trafficking.

For addictive drugs like heroin, a spike in street prices leads
desperate addicts to increase criminal activity to feed desperate
habits. The drug war doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime. When
politics trumps science, people die. Centers for Disease Control
researchers estimate that 57 percent of AIDS cases among women and 36
percent of overall AIDS cases in the U.S. are linked to
injection-drug use or sex with partners who inject drugs. This
preventable public health crisis is a direct result of zero-tolerance
laws that restrict access to clean syringes. Drug abuse is bad, but
the drug war is worse.

ROBERT SHARPE

Policy analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, D.C.