Pubdate: Wed, 06 Sep 2000
Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)
Copyright: 2000 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
Contact:  PO Box 120191, San Diego, CA, 92112-0191
Fax: (619) 293-1440
Website: http://www.uniontrib.com/
Forum: http://www.uniontrib.com/cgi-bin/WebX
Author: Ray Huard, Union-Tribune Staff Writer

CITY PANEL WILL CONSIDER PRIVATE NEEDLE-SWAP PLAN

Exchanges Would Be Tied To Treatment

San Diego drug users could swap dirty needles for clean ones in hopes 
of curbing the spread of hepatitis, AIDS and other blood-borne diseases 
under a proposal set for review by a City Council committee next week.  

Under the proposal by the Alliance Healthcare Foundation, details of 
the needle exchange would be worked out by a task force that would 
include police and community representatives. The proposal will be 
presented to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee at 9 
a.m. Wednesday in City Hall.  

The exchanges would be tied to some sort of treatment or counseling for 
drug users, said Stephanie Casenza, a spokeswoman for the foundation.  

"These programs are good bridges to treatment," Casenza said. "For many 
people, it's their one contact with anyone who knows anything about 
health."  

Councilman Harry Mathis, vice chairman of the committee, and Councilman 
Byron Wear, a committee member, said they were inclined to support 
needle exchange with the proper safeguards. The committee has been 
without a chairman since the resignation last month of Barbara Warden, 
who went to work for a cable television company.  

"It's something we need to look at," Mathis said. "It appears to be 
working in areas where it's been tried."  

Wear, a former lifeguard, said he hopes needle exchange would lessen 
the number of dirty needles left on beaches and streets where parks 
workers, police and other public safety workers are in danger of 
getting stuck by them.  

"It's worth trying in light of the public benefit," Wear said.  

Mathis said he would want the exchange to be run by a private group 
instead of the city.  

"I just don't think government should be doing it," Mathis said.  

Casenza said the foundation, a nonprofit, independent philanthropic 
health-care group, would raise private money to pay for a two-to three-
year pilot program.  

Mayor Susan Golding has not taken a position on the proposal to form a 
task force, said her press secretary, Ric Grenell.  

"She has supported syringe exchange programs in the past as long as 
they are combined with a comprehensive drug treatment program," Grenell 
said.  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Medical 
Association, the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Conference 
of Mayors endorse needle exchanges as an effective way to reduce the 
transmission of lethal blood-borne viruses.  

Under a state law that took effect in January, the City Council must 
declare a public health state of emergency before adopting a needle 
exchange program. Several cities in California, including Los Angeles, 
have taken such a step. No San Diego County cities have done so, 
although National City is considering a needle exchange program.  

A group of volunteer activists has skirted the law and operated a 
clandestine program, called San Diego Clean Needle Exchange, since 
early 1992.  

Critics say that handing out free needles encourages drug use.  

But Casenza said studies have shown that needle exchange programs do 
not increase drug abuse.  
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