NEEDLES AND HEALTH

Re "Skittish over needles," editorial, Sept. 28: Needle exchange and
pharmacy sale of syringes save lives and tax dollars without adding to
increased drug use or unsafe discard of syringes.

Selling syringes costs taxpayers nothing. Pharmacies are geographically
dispersed, staffed by health professionals and have varied open hours. New
injectors or intermittent "weekenders" do not tend to use needle exchanges,
but will access pharmacies. They also serve vacation and business
travelers, the uninsured and others who need sterile syringes without a
prescription.

Needle exchanges are resource-intensive, recommended wher there is a nexus
of poverty, drugs and disease. But there isn't enough government and
foundation money to ensure that programs reach every person in need.

Both approaches bridge users to drug treatment and medical care and provide
means to dispose of used syringes.

The decision to sell syringes to an adult belongs with the pharmacist. The
supervisors should free health professionals to do their job preventing
disease and saving lives.

Glenn Backes, Sacramento