A Needle Exchange Controversy Essay Research Paper — страница 2

  • Просмотров 364
  • Скачиваний 9
  • Размер файла 17
    Кб

still valued by the community” despite their inability to “break the cycle of addictive behavior” (10). Addicts who can not stay clean or get admitted into a drug treatment program should be encouraged to take the necessary precautions to perform safe injections and not put others at risk as a result of their habit (Glantz 1078). From 1981 to 1997, drug related HIV cases in the United States rose from 1 to 31 percent not including infants and sexual partners infected by the user (Fuller 9). With contaminated needles infecting 33 Americans with HIV daily (Fuller 11), it was only a matter of time before an in-depth analysis of the drug related AIDS epidemic was made. More comprehensive research in regards to the effectiveness of needle exchange programs is necessary to

provide the basis for making proper legislative decisions. The ban currently preventing federal funds from being allocated to support needle exchange programs in the U.S. greatly curtails the means necessary to establish and operate an effective needle exchange program. President Clinton initially planned to lift the ban (Bowdy 28) but, against the advise of his health advisor and compelling scientific support for needle exchange programs, he extended the ban forcing needle exchange programs to operate within their already thin budgets (Schoofs 34). A bit of hypocrisy is sensed by Joe Fuller because the Clinton Administration “refused to lift the ban but encouraged local governments to use their own resources to fund exchange programs” (8). The Administration claims that by

supporting something other than “zero tolerance” may give the “wrong message” (Drucker 15). Political careers were obviously placed ahead of the general safety of the American people (Green 15) possibly due to public opinion surveys. The Family Research Council performed a public opinion survey in 1997 (Bowdy 28). Sixty-two percent of the 1,000 registered voters who where asked to voice their opinion about needle exchange programs did not approve of them (Bowdy 28). Some critics claim that needle exchange programs may increase drug use and encourage promiscuity (Bowdy 27) while others fear contaminated needles will not be disposed of properly creating a “public health hazard” (Bowdy 28). These concerns are understandable but they must be properly weighed against the

benefits to society as a whole. An effective needle exchange program in Windham Connecticut was shut down after a needle that was improperly disposed of pricked a two-year-old girl (Connecticut 5). Researchers interviewed a number of clients before and after the program was terminated to determine the number of participants that secured their injection equipment from the street or acquaintances (Connecticut 5). The number of participants using unreliable equipment drastically increased from 14 percent while the program was still operating, to 36 percent immediately after closing, to 51 percent in an interview three months after closing (Connecticut 5). The status quo remained in regards to the amount of debris after Windham’s program had been terminated (Connecticut 6).

Advocates feel that taking the remote chance of dealing with an improperly disposed needle is worth saving countless lives for sure. The frustration of dealing with federal and public resistance is compounded by state laws forbidding individuals from possessing or distributing hypodermic needles and syringes that are enforced by all but four states in the U.S. (Glantz 1078). As a result, needle exchange programs across the country must evade prosecution regularly. The Chai project is a group of public safety advocates based in New Brunswick, New Jersey that distributes sterile needles and syringes, condoms, and valuable information about diseases such as HIV despite interference from local authorities who are required to enforce laws with which they may or may not agree (Green

15). Diana McCague, founder of the Chai project, was arrested after giving an undercover detective a sterile pack of hypodermic needles (Green 15). The judge hearing the case, Terrill Brenner, praised McCague’s undeniably effective contribution to public safety but was forced by law to convict her of illegally distributing drug paraphernalia (Green 15). McCague wonders “What kind of society ?we live in that people are arrested for saving lives?” (Green 15). Recently conducted studies of various needle exchange programs returned rather encouraging results. The number of HIV infections among drug users decreased of 5.8 percent annually in 29 cities throughout the world where needle exchange programs where implemented as opposed to a 5.9 percent increase in 51 cities where