Pubdate: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Copyright: 2004 Times Colonist Contact: http://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481 Author: Richard Watts, Times Colonist VICTORIA COURTHOUSE INSTALLS BOXES FOR DRUG NEEDLES It's a fact of modern life that drug addicts often end up in the court system, and that's forced changes at the Victoria courthouse. Junkies making court appearances sometimes shoot up in the courthouse and then need a way to safely get rid of used hypodermic needles. If the needles aren't safely disposed of, people may contract infectious blood diseases like hepatitis or AIDS through accidental jabs. In response to safety worries, public washrooms on the lower floor of the courthouse now have containers for used needles. The containers are made of heavy duty plastic and can be opened only with a key. There is no mistaking their intended use. They are marked with the words Used Needles, and have drawings of hypodermic syringes. Sheriff James Lee, in charge of the Victoria courthouse, said when the idea of installing the containers was discussed, there were concerns that an improper perception might be created. A courthouse is a building where drug laws are enforced -- so some people might think that having the disposal boxes would make it easier for people to break those laws. But Lee said safety concerns outweighed worries about perceptions. Lee said used needles have been found discarded in washroom garbage bins where they pose a hazard to janitors. They have also been found stuffed inside toilet paper dispensers, posing a threat to the next person who uses a toilet. "It all came down to the safety of others," said Lee. The change came from the building's own health and safety committee, where union and management have equal representation. "It's a sad thing to see but that's what a lot of our clientele are (intravenous drug users)," said Lee. The courthouse isn't the first public building in the capital region to bow to the dangerous reality of urban litter. Crystal Pool, owned by the City of Victoria, has a needle disposal box outside the building. The boxes are a holdover from the days when an adjacent park had public washrooms, said Crystal Pool acting manager Sandy Clark. Those washrooms have been demolished, in part because they attracted too much unsavoury activity, such as drug use. But the disposal boxes remained. The city-owned public washrooms in Centennial Square also have disposal boxes for used needles. Bill Jackson, City Hall supervisor of building maintenance, said the boxes are well used even though the washrooms are only open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake