MORE NEEDLES IN GRANDVIEW PARK

To the editor:

I'm writing on behalf of Grandview-Woodland Community Policing
Centre's board to warn residents in our area about an increased risk
from discarded needles.

Our office, which is located in Grandview Park on Commercial Drive,
has recovered an average of 10 to 20 discarded needles annually. These
have been found in our daily needle sweeps of the playground, reported
to us by park users or turned in to the CPC by local residents. Our
staff and volunteers have been trained in safe collection of discarded
syringes using sharps containers, tongs and gloves.

Since July 3rd more than 50 discarded needles found in the area of and
adjacent to Grandview Park (which includes an elementary school,
childcare centre, and Eastside Family Place) have been turned in to
our Community Policing Centre. On several occasions park users,
including one very young girl, have reported individuals injecting
drugs in park washrooms. Our staff and volunteers have, when alerted,
removed discarded syringes from the washrooms.

Although we do not wish to directly connect this situation with the
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority's recent decision to increase harm
reduction for injection drug users by replacing their one-for-one
needle exchange policy with a needle distribution program that does
not include mandatory return of used needles, we cannot ignore the
implications of this change in policy.

In addition to advising the public to be more vigilant about the
possible presence of discarded needles in the area, we believe that
education on their safe removal is essential.

Anyone discovering a needle in our immediate area can report it to the
CPC, phone DEYAS ( the organization that runs the needle exchange) at
604-657-6561 and request removal, or use tongs to pick up the needle
and place it in a rigid container with a secure top such as a pop
bottle. It can then be turned in to the CPC, the Health Unit or DEYAS.

Eileen Mosca, for the GWCPC Board of Directors