COUNTY TO START NEEDLE EXCHANGE

Officials Hope To Lower Infection Rates Of HIV And Hepatitis C With
The Help Of Pharmacists

Bull Chaney is one of the estimated 324 people in San Luis Obispo
County living with HIV.

The Los Osos man and former addict got it from sharing needles in the
1980s - but he says his life might be different if he'd been able to
use a needle exchange program, like the one county health officials
are starting up.

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors unanimously authorized the
development of a two-pronged attempt to lower the infection rates of
HIV and Hepatitis C, both of which are frequently transmitted when
intravenous drug users share needles. HIV is the virus that causes
AIDS; Hepatitis C is a disease that attacks the liver.

"This is a no-brainer," said Chaney, 49, who's been clean for eight
years and who has dedicated himself to doing AIDS outreach and
education for the county. "It's a huge harm reducer for our people
and our communities."

First, the county will develop a program that will trade used needles
and syringes for clean ones. The closest such program is in Santa
Maria, and exchanges have been shown to reduce the incidence of
Hepatitis C by 50 percent.

Also, pharmacists will be allowed to sell up to 10 needles or
syringes to adults who don't have prescriptions. Experts say that
will likely appeal to drug users who manage to cover up their habits
and who don't want to be seen at public needle exchanges.

They also might provide a way for high school students who are
injecting steroids to get clean needles.

Critics argue that syringe programs encourage and condone drug use,
but research shows otherwise.

"Many studies have shown that needle exchange does not recruit new
injection drug users," said Dr. Greg Thomas, public health director.
"Syringe exchange programs act as a bridge to get injection drug
users into treatment and other social services."

A 2003 Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes study of 600
injection drug users showed that drug use doesn't increase with
access to clean needles.

And according to a Center for Health Improvement policy brief,
addicts who used a syringe exchange program in Oakland were twice as
likely to stop sharing needles after six months when compared to
those who didn't exchange their needles.

Further, Chaney said, his experience shows that needle exchanges can only help.

A strung-out drug addict won't pass up a chance to get high just
because he doesn't have a clean syringe, Chaney said.

"It's just the way it is," he said. They'll "get it into their
systems as fast as they can, whether it's with a new needle or an old needle."

Thomas said many users won't specifically seek help, but needle
exchanges are beneficial because they introduce users to medical and
social services experts who can help.

An added advantage, Thomas said, is that needle-stick injuries to
police officers go down 66 percent following clean-needle programs.

Thomas is expected to present to supervisors a more detailed proposal
for the exchange program in several weeks.