DISCARDED NEEDLES POSE SERIOUS RISK

District public works staff are warning the public to watch out for
discarded hypodermic needles.

Rick Lewington, operations supervisor of Community Services for the
District of 100 Mile House, says lately his crews have been finding
roughly one used discarded needle per day in public places. And the
blame is being placed, in part, on the Interior Health Association's
needle exchange program.

"We send someone to the park everyday and during a five-day period
they will find at least two," he said Tuesday at a District Safety
Council meeting. "A kid is going to step on one... we found one in the
pea-gravel rock near the swingsets. When you find them under the
swingsets you are talking about a big problem. I personally cannot
think this needle exchange program is working if they are not getting
the needles back."

He stressed that residents should not try handling the needles. They
were all likely discarded by drug users and present a significant risk
of being contaminated by the hepatitis virus. There is also a slight
risk of contracting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Lewington's staff are vaccinated against hepatitis and have the
equipment and training to handle the needles.

Lewington advises anyone who comes across a needle to contact him at
the community services office at 395-2123.

100 Mile Mayor Donna Barnett said she can't seem to get answers from
the IHA. The exchange program is being blamed, in part, because some
of the recovered needles hadn't been used. They found a stash of some
25 unused needles.

"If you have an exchange, it should be a deal that if you don't bring
it back there will be no exchange," she said.

She will be urging her councillors to add some urgency to her requests
for information from IHA.

They have been finding the discarded needles in Centennial Park, falls
trail, around the marsh and near the visitor information centre.
Lewington says his crews have found, at times, one per day.

Lewington says the RCMP have been made aware of the situation.