drugs

Canada’s clean needle program for a long time has been under fire. Some European countries like Switzerland also have clean needle programs, and recently some U.S. cities have implemented the plan.

So what is a clean needle program? It’s basically a place where addicts can go to exchange old used needles for shiny new ones. Seems counter intuitive initially, as, isn’t the point to get people off the drug? I mean heroin is some pretty heavy stuff. Study after study though has shown that not giving people needles does not make them suddenly have an epiphany and decide to get clean. They just use dirty ones.

The cost to States for treating STD’s is astronomical, and not to mention the loss of life. But it’s not just addicts, for those who live by the credo “not my problem,” and “well then you shouldn’t take drugs,” that’s all fine and well. But in the real world addicts are not quarantined. Police officers routinely get pricked by needles while patting down suspects, little kids find dirty needles in the alley, and I have sex with cracked out hookers… or I mean, some guys have sex with cracked out hookers. Anyway, the effect of dirty needles spreads far beyond the world of the addict. Here’s a little math, I know math ruins the buzz, but I’ll do most of the work for you: 

Syringes: 100 clean needles range from $10 to $13. That equals 10 to 13 cents each.
Cost of treating someone with HIV: $618,900 on average. 

As you can see, a clean needle is much cheaper. Yet these programs are under fire. It’s a homerun for politicians, as they generally appeal to the lowest common denominator with clip phrases like “we don’t support drugs,” or, “just say no.” Unfortunately life is not as simple as a ten second sound bite. Sometimes it’s imperative upon a nation which in theory rules itself, to educate itself on the issues. Or they are destined to become the lowest common denominator, or to no longer rule themselves, even in theory. But I digress.

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