NEEDLE EXCHANGE NEEDS WELL-POLICED FIXED SITE

Recently I was involved in a program called Lunches of Love, where we
went downtown and handed out bagged lunches to the less fortunate.

We also visited the van providing needle exchange services. I was
shocked to learn the needle exchange is not in a proper facility,
instead using a van that parks in places the homeless would never look.

The reason the needle exchange is in a van is because before, when it
used to be in a building, there were problems of drug dealing, crime
and loitering. The exchange was evicted. I think it is great they are
still trying to help with the van, but a proper facility is needed.

Since the closure, their needle exchange rate dropped 60 per cent,
which means people on the street using drugs don't have access to
clean needles.

The government should give the exchange a new building in an area
that is patrolled frequently by police officers.

People could still have access to the clean needles and support, and
would know that it would be dangerous to do dealings there.

Sharif McArthur, Victoria