SHOES ADVISED FOR NEEDLE RISK

Powell River residents are being advised to protect their children
from dirty needles which can be found in parks and on beaches at this
time of the year.

Powell River Fire Rescue chief fire prevention officer Tom Ellis said
it's important that parents make sure their children wear something on
their feet.

"When I was a kid we used to run around with bare feet," Ellis said.
"Today, with the needles out there, I wouldn't have my kids run around
the beaches with bare feet."

In his personal view, Ellis said, "People who do drugs don't have any
consideration for anybody else, except for themselves. When they do
drugs with their needles, they don't go to a garbage container and
discard them. They just throw them down where they inject
themselves."

Dr. Anna-Marie Maguire, a Powell River family physician, runs the
methadone clinic in town and attends needle exchange meetings. "Sadly,
like many towns and cities in BC, Powell River is noting an increase
in drug usage," she said. "This is as a result of many things. Number
one, the increasing availability of drugs. Number two, economic
stressors which lead people to seek other and easier ways of making
money. Number three, economic stressors which make the population more
vulnerable to start or increase drug usage."

Although much of the drug population in Powell River involves cannabis
use, Maguire said, the use of harder drugs, such as cocaine and
heroin, is also increasing at an alarming rate. "These drugs may be
snorted, smoked or injected. The most dangerous mode of use is
injection, but these drugs are also very addictive when smoked.

"People who are ill in addiction often do not care about themselves or
others and more and more used needles are being found unsafely
discarded around town. Powell River has a needle exchange service
through Coast Garibaldi Health and its use is to be
encouraged."

If anyone finds a dirty needle, they should dial 911, ask for the fire
department, and stay at the spot where they found the needle until
firefighters respond to the call.

"We have the proper equipment to pick up needles," said Ellis. "We
wear gloves, we have the tongs to pick up the needles, we have the
container to put the needles in. We have the proper solution
afterwards to wash your hands with."