Business owners question implementation, and necessity, of NV needle
exchange program

The North Shore is the last area within Vancouver Coastal Health's
(VCH) service region to offer a needle exchange program, but that
hasn't stopped some business owners in the Lower Lonsdale community
from worrying about what effects the service will have on their shops.

The needle exchange, which the VCH office at 132 W. Esplanade began
offering in the summer, was the main topic of discussion at a Lower
Lonsdale Business Association meeting on Oct. 27.

Feelings toward the new service ranged from acceptance to skepticism
to outright dismissal among the gathering's 16 attendees.

"I'm worried about different people coming into my store and I don't
want to add more than I need," said Frances Martin, owner of Francesca
Boutique located at 106 W Esplanade.

"I'll be fighting this all the way. Maybe it helps, but it is in the
wrong area."

Donna Hollaran, manager of community and family health for VCH, was at
the meeting to explain what the needle exchange program hopes to
accomplish on the North Shore. VCH's goal for the service, she said,
is to target five residents a month. Since the program started in the
summer, the needle exchange has seen only six people use the service.

Halloran added that, in addition to helping stop the spread of HIV,
Hepatitis C and other communicable diseases, the new program also
serves as a point of contact for their office's employees to refer
drug users to various agencies that can help them with their
addictions.

"We're offering a safe alternative. We can't force things, we're a
starting point to establish trust," said Halloran.

"From there we can help them and, hopefully, point them to where they
can go for treatment."

Al Peralta, former of owner of the now-closed restaurant Bella
Candela, questioned the implementation of the needle exchange, while
openly agreeing with the health benefits such a service provides.

More education for business owners in the area, he added, would have
helped with any initial backlash, rather than them hearing about the
new program after the fact.