DO NEEDLE EXCHANGES MAKE THE CITY SAFER?

"Program for exchanging needles to be reviewed" (B-1, Jan. 5): Advocates of
San Diego's needle-exchange program for drug addicts claim "it's a
preventive measure" and the "numbers look pretty good."

The information provided indicates that this hypothesis is wishful thinking
at best. The primary intent of needle exchange is to prevent injection drug
addicts from becoming infected with HIV, hepatitis and other infectious
diseases. Yet neither the needle-exchange advocates or your report provided
any data to demonstrate that the program has indeed decreased new
infections. Advocates provide only the number of needles handed out and
returned as evidence of success.

Tragically, 3,000 of the 18,000 needles returned to the program - nearly
one in five - were turned in by the mother of an addict who died from AIDS.
Not even 3,000 needles could save one person from HIV or from his own
addiction. Needle-exchange programs are also touted as a link between
addicts and drug treatment. But according to your report, only 37 out of
the hundreds of addicts participating in the program were actually referred
to treatment. And being referred to treatment should not be confused with
actually being treated. Ironically, while San Diego provides a countless
supply of free needles to addicts, the city has a shortage of space for
drug treatment. The city should rethink its priorities that at this time
are enabling addicts to continue their self-destructive behavior at the
expense of treating and prevention addiction.

ROLAND FOSTER Staff Member Committee on Government Reform U.S. House of
Representatives