Pubdate: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI) Copyright: 2002 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Contact: http://www.jsonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/265 Author: Bruce Rideout Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange) NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAM MAKES HABIT A LITTLE SAFER Mike Christopulos feels that funding clean needle exchange is wrong because it helps addicts continue their habit ("Walker right to cut funding," The Morning Mail). Simplistic analysis seems to be Christopulos's expertise. By that logic then, if all needles were wiped off the planet, heroin addicts would just simply stop. Or die. Sort of like if we took alcohol away, holidays would end. Wait a minute, didn't we try that once? Yet alcohol use continued, unabated, but much more dangerous as bathtub gin made for a deadly cocktail. So Prohibition did not end alcohol use, but did succeed in making it a health threat. Well, Mr. Christopulos, that is how drug prohibition works. It does not abate drug use but makes it more dangerous. And the cost to taxpayers goes way beyond $230,000. Clean needles will not end drug addiction. But it will make it safer. Christopulos is entitled to dislike drug users and their addictions. But he has no right to insist on their deaths. Bruce Rideout Madison - --- MAP posted-by: Beth