i used to work for the Chicago recovery alliance (http://www.anypositivechange.org), chicago's needle exchange program. i believe i was doing a good service for society. some junkies will use dirty needles if they don't have clean ones, so it's better to give them clean ones so that they (and others with whom they come in contact) don't get AIDS, etc. we also held classes on safe injection techniques, handed out condoms, and gave out narcan (what they use to bring someone back from an overdose) and instructions on how to use it. well, i got arrested for working for the needle exchange. i just got out of prison. now i am on parole and stuck living at a homeless shelter in the chicago suburbs. i would rather just live on the streets of chicago, but they won't let me. anyway, here's the pole question: is the needle exchange just enabling people to do drugs like the evil heathens they are? or is it a healthy thing? my opinion is obvious....
well thats a tough question, 7 years ago the local drug neighnbourhood gave us the entire block & the dealers respectfuly moved out of site, & we had something really amazing & magical going on there, then 3 years ago the local needle exchange stuck up a few needle drop off boxes & in no time the drugs were back, the drop off boxes were overflowing & the ground that had been free of trash for 7 years was littered wityh hundreds of needles & other assorted trash. & just 2 months ago they brought in buldozers & wiped out everything wed created there, in 7 years the block went from very dangeroudse to incredibly safe & confy because ofthe work wed done there, then those needle exchange boxes made it incredibly dangerouse again in weeks & 2 years later the city felt the only option was to level the block, destroy the best thing to ever happen there & just give up on the entire area now theres random arsons, lots of prostitution & roving gangs of gun carrying 10 year olds the concept is good but the application isnt always ofcourse the area was originaly overrun with drugs, but they had left voluntarily because of the respect we got for all we were doing there, but soon as they put in those boxes, our lil island of serenity & safty went right back gto being the main local shoot up spot i cant say i'm for or against it, just saying it can be both good & bad
i think its a good program, like the ecstasy pill testing at raves, and giving free condoms at schools. its harm reduction.
i never got an xtc pill or a condom for free... ever! there wasnt even a condom mashine in the toilet.... i dont know junkies shoot up because at some point they tried and didnt stop and kept coming back till they was hooked. now its them who share needles not us. if those charities really bring in the lowlifes than its bad. because normal ppl dont need any of that crap, and the smackheads do, so by helping them u make shit worse for 10 000 other ppl. they choose to inject, let them od, shrivel up and die
^^ It is a good program, it helps keep down diseases, which means deaths, why wouldn't you try to save someones life? Just because they are taking a substance you don't agree with? I love these programs.
Personally I think you should avoid anything that comes out of a needle, but I think anything that prevents diseases is a good thing, because if someone needs a fix they will get one whether they have a clean needle or not, so it might as well be clean.
I think the needle exchange is a great idea, I went into one when i was younger with a NYC squatter woman that I had been talking to....I was creeped out....to be honest....anything that involves shooting things into yourself with a needle scares me...but thats me. They also offered methodone (sp?) for those trying to kick the smack..... The only thing that I could see as a bit more positive is offering some sort of counselling....even just someone to talk to about their issues when they came in for new needles and then maybe the offer to enter some prolonged rehab.....guidance, knowlege, support......clean needles is a start, but a non-pushy way of offering a little more help to kick the habit would be awesome.
I think needle exchanges do more good than harm by far. Shooting up isn't the only way to pass HIV after all. The programs are there to protect the partners who care about the addicts as well. Just remember: Avoid all needle drugs... the only dope worth shooting is George W. Bush.
