Should there be legal dirty needle exchanges?

[Roon]

Bill Would Legalize Dirty Needle Exchanges
DENVER -- A proposed senate bill would legalize clean syringe exchange programs in Colorado. Supporters said SB 189 would allow local health departments to take dirty syringes in exchange for clean ones, potentially cutting down on the spread of blood-borne diseases like HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C among drug users.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/23130244/detail.html

What do you guys think? Is this a good idea?

[slackmaster]

1. Good idea, but not in my neighborhood

:hide:

[Ken Burch]

4. OK...we'll send the crackheads over to your street then,

(after all...they don't USE needles...)

:eyes:

[slackmaster]

13. It's not a good area for crackheads or for street people in general.

It's all single-family detached homes.

There aren't any commercial properties or public parks where they could sleep undisturbed. Anyone sleeping on someone's suburban lawn would be promptly arrested and put in jail.

[Cali_Democrat]

6. So you'd rather have diseases like AIDS and Hepatitis more prevalent in your neighborhood?

:shrug:

[slackmaster]

11. My 'hood is almost all owner-occupied

We don't have a lot of injection drug use, and nobody living on the street. It really wouldn't be an appropriate place for a needle exchange because it would be inconvenient for people who need one. No public transportation goes to within about a mile of my house.

I buy syringes 100 at a time BTW - My cat is on a series of allergy shots.

[Ken Burch]

15. Well, it wasn't ever likely that they'd put a needle exchange in your 'hood anyway

So why did you start in with this?

Did you mean to add a "sarcasm" smilie in your first post?

[slackmaster]

21. The main topic of my reply to the OP was that it's a "Good idea"

I meant that sincerely. I support needle exchanges, as long as treatment for substance abuse is made accessible to people who walk in.

[gateley]

2. Yes -- and I thought that was already in place in many areas. Am I mistaken,

or were the programs stopped?

[anigbrowl]

3. Programs like this have a very good track record. nt

[Warren DeMontague]

5. Not if they're exchanging dirty needles for other dirty needles.

Otherwise, yes.

[Toucano]

10. LOL!

"Get yer' dirty needles here! While they last!"

[Turbineguy]

7. Not spreading diseases

is a decidedly socialist idea. Real repubs favor spreading diseases as a way to test your relationship with God. If you get sick, it's because you made God punish you. If you stay well, you can take somebody's retirement and buy a yacht.

[stray cat]

8. Yes - next question are you willing to pay for the program?

[slackmaster]

12. Data point for you: Syringes are amazingly cheap if you buy them in quantity

I pay about 18 cents each in quantities of 100.

[Cirque du So-What]

16. Hell, yes!

The cost of fresh needles is far cheaper than the cost of treating hepatitis or HIV/AIDS.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

17. I am. What about you? -nt

[backscatter712]

18. These programs pay for themselves.

Clean syringes are a lot cheaper than treatment for hepatitis, HIV, etc.

The junkies that end up with these diseases will end up on Medicaid/Medicare and get treated on the taxpayers' dime, so preventing these people from getting infected and preventing them from spreading their infections will save huge amounts of money.

[Warren DeMontague]

22. Good God, Yes. It's far cheaper than having a whole bunch of sick junkies, isn't it?

:shrug:

[Mojambo]

9. Absolutely.

The data is strong on this. These programs work damn well.

[paulsby]

14. yes, but more importantly, needles should be OVER THE COUNTER

as they are here in WA state.

any nimrod off the street can walk into a pharmacy and buy a syringe for between .10 and .25

and of course, a service agency can set up needle exchanges for free needles based on exchange of dirty needles.

it is simply more important that addicts or other drug users (not all users are addicts or even using illegal drugs) be able to access fresh needles than that the state limit access to them. people who want to try heroin or whatnot are going to try it. the needles should not be the limiting factor such that people reuse them or far worse SHARE them and risk spread of disease, absesses, etc. and other major health problems

[CaliforniaPeggy]

19. Not just yes, my dear Roon...

Hell yes.

A very good idea!

[TexasProgresive]

20. They should be on the counter right where

clean, safe heroin and such are sold legally or even given away. It would be so much better to end the "war on drugs"- the cost is too high - addicts steal peoples stuff which is fenced for pennies on the dollar to pay big bucks for their drugs which are of questionable quality. Then we pay again in funding the imprisonment of users. Then there is the real shooting war going on at the border of my home and Mexico.

[gleaner]

23. Yes it is a good idea ....

For a second there I thought you were talking about letting users exchange dirty needles with each other and my heart nearly stopped. That would not be a good idea, but realistically it is what happens now under ground and without supervision from health workers.

People who are addicted to drugs are going to use them no matter what. You don't condone drug use by trying to help them prevent diseases from being passed from person to person via needle swapping between users or letting used needles lie around in places where people congregate to use drugs, socialize and try to avoid arrest.

It might help slow down transmission of many blood borne diseases. Addicts are human beings who need help as much as human beings who don't use drugs. Maybe contact with health workers could get them to want to kick it too. Who knows. Often if you help people in a kind way without judgment you can help inspire them to act on their own best impulses. It is worth a try.