Drug needle exchanges in a bid to avoid reuse and sharing could be a way to curb HIV outbreaks like the one in rural Indiana, experts believe.
The HIV “epidemic” in Indiana and a rise in Hepatitis C cases in Kentucky encouraged those states to pass laws allowing drug needle exchanges to operate. The spread of such diseases was traced to residents dissolving prescription painkillers and then injecting themselves sometimes up to 20 times a day with the same needle and passing it around.
Preventing HIV outbreaks among injection drug users
Policy makers have decided to put public health above politics. “People didn’t care whose needle was whose before; that’s what started this,” Tara Burton, 25, a HIV patient told Reuters. “It’s a lot better now,” she said, referring to the Scott County clinic, which runs drug needle exchanges – keeping users safe.
Since Scott County Health Department’s needle exchange opened its doors, the number of new HIV cases has dropped considerably.
Benefiting both drug users and the communities
A lot of people seem to believe that if they allow a needle exchange program to operate in their community they will see huge increases in the number of used syringes discarded on their streets. However, several studies show us that just the opposite is the case.
Recent research argues that Congress should actually make it easier for drug needle exchanges programs to exist.
Studies have shown that needle exchange programs not only benefit individual drug users by helping to prevent the transmission of blood borne diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C, they also give drug users alternatives to street involvement.
Overcoming Addiction
Many perceive them as a “gateway to engage difficult-to-reach individuals in services such as mental health and substance use counseling, housing, and case management”.
Well-established syringe exchange programs function as one-stop shops for harm reduction services providing psychological support and much more onsite.
Promotion of needle-exchange programs
A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) argues that providing access to and encouraging utilization of sterile needles and syringes for injecting drug users is now generally considered to be a fundamental component of any comprehensive and effective HIV-prevention programme.
There are currently 228 known needle-exchange programs in 35 U.S. states. However, the federal funding ban limits their scalability and quality of services, researchers argue.
What do you think of drug needle exchanges as a way of complementing supply-reduction measures? Share your views in the comments section below.
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Harm Reduction: Why Drug Needle Exchanges are a Good Idea
