DEYAS SENDING OUT NEEDLE PATROLS

To the editor:

Re: "Used needle bins not appropriate for Nelson Park," Jan. 15.

I would like to echo the concerns of Ian Cannon and Insp. Dave Jones that
used needles are being discarded in the Lord Roberts Annex area. However, I
also wish to clarify that the DEYAS Needle Exchange Pick-up program is one,
among others, which is working diligently and closely with the community to
remedy this situation.

Our workers have been in touch with Mr. Cannon since last September and now
work with Street Youth Job Action to provide daily patrols of the area,
minimizing, even if we cannot entirely eliminate, the discarding of used
needles.

It is our experience that most drug users take responsibility for their
actions and return their used needles to the exchange.

Unfortunately the small minority who do not cause problems such as those
now being experienced by the Lord Roberts community.

DEYAS's strategy to deal with this issue has been to set up the pick-up
program and to work closely with communities to deal with problem areas.
I'm sorry that Insp. Jones has chosen not to believe that we recover over
100 per cent of the needles we give out. The statistic is accurate and it
is a recovery rate we have maintained consistently since 1994.

We will remain committed to protecting the health and safety of the drug
users who come to our services and also that of the wider communities in
which we all live.

Judy McGuire, manager Health Outreach Programs, Downtown Eastside Youth
Activities Society