POLITICOS PUSHING FOR SAFE NEEDLE DISPOSAL

Regional politicians want public feedback about providing public tool
kits for safe disposal of used drug syringes found locally.

The Cowichan Valley Regional District's Community Safety Advisory
Committee recently introduced the issue.

Following debate, it may back a funding application by an agency such
as Social Planning Cowichan toward the public safety drive against a
glut of used needles being found locally.

City Mayor Phil Kent describes a community partnership among various
groups that might provide tool kits for residents.

Those kits would describe how to safely handle found sharps and drop
them into a bottle for disposal, possibly at the Cowichan District
Hospital or the Margaret Moss Health Unit.

However, Kent stresses trashing the syringes aE" that may be tainted
with HIV and lethal dope like heroin aE" doesn't spell a local needle
exchange program.

"That's really more for different agencies to manage.

"We're focused on public safety about sharps left in the open
environment."

Needles are regularly dropped in a disposal container in the city's
train station washroom.

They're also found behind the Cairnsmore Street 7-Eleven store, on
Duncan Elementary school grounds and elsewhere where folks could be
jabbed.

Jack Peake, CVRD chairman, believes getting rid of Cowichan's used
drug syringes is a good first step but providing addicts clean
needles is another matter.

"It boils down to finding ways to get people off the drugs that
create this problem.

"That's the priority: getting people clean and on to productive
lives."

But Peake supports ways to protect non-users from fouled
needles.

"This disposal program appears to be the bare-bones
minimum."

He knows of one local grocery store used for shooting up and where
needles are left behind.

"Everywhere you turn this is a problem for society."

The regional safety committee's drive for safe needle disposal may
get more debate at the board table, Peake says, before ways to
bankroll it are discussed.

He urges citizens to contact directors and councils about the need
for such a program and even about providing clean syringes.

"Is this the feeling of the whole community or a reactive few?" he
asks, citing Vancouver's successful needle exchange and one planned
for Victoria.

"We want to know what the community at large thinks."