LEADERS PUSH FOR NEEDLE EXCHANGE

RALEIGH - As a part of N.C. Students United for HIV Prevention, an
energetic crowd of activists, legislators and health care providers
gathered to rally for needle exchange programs and the passage of
House Bill 411.

The bill, which would provide funding for three needle exchange pilot
programs, is in committee in the N.C. House, which reconvenes next month.

About 100 people marched from Bicentennial Park to the Governor's
Mansion and around the state capitol to encourage support of the bill.

"It's going to reduce the likelihood of people using unclean, dirty
needles, and that's hopefully going to cause people to get involved
in treatment and rehabilitation," said Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield,
D-Wilson, who supports the bill.

"And I think it's going to end up being cost effective in the long
run. If you look at the cost of treating people with HIV, that's over
$60,000 per person."

Opponents of needle exchange programs maintain that such programs
actually encourage drug use and do nothing to solve the greater
problem of addiction.

"People say that needle exchange only fuels drug abuse and
addiction," said Nab Dasgupta, a graduate student in the UNC School
of Public Health and research chairman for the N.C. Harm Reduction Coalition.

"The ultimate goal of needle exchange is to save lives, not only
through the prevention of HIV, but also by reducing the amount of
drugs being used."

Dasgupta said he decided to come to UNC because North Carolina
doesn't have a legal needle exchange program in place and he wanted
to lead the change.

Michael Harney also attended the rally Friday. He is an outreach
worker at a needle exchange program in Asheville, one he describes as
"illegal but tolerated."

The Needle Exchange Program of Asheville has been operating on
private funds since 1994 with support from such groups as the
Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and philanthropist George Soros.

"We have never asked for state money, nor would we ask for state
money," Harney said.

"I'm not asking the governor to put more money into our program. I'm
asking him to make it legal that we can reach out to people who need
our services."

A primary theme at the rally was that HIV and AIDS prevention is an
issue that transcends cultural barriers.

"This is an issue that doesn't just affect people of color, but
people of all communities, people of different races, people of
different genders." said Joell Royal, a student at Bennett College
for Women in Greensboro who participated in 2005 Black AIDS Institute
Summer Internship Program in Los Angeles.

"My mom is HIV positive and she contracted the virus from intravenous
drug use," she said, noting that she has worked to educate others
about prevention since her mom was diagnosed.

"And I believe maybe if there was a needle exchange back then when
she needed it, it would have lowered her risk for HIV."