Pubdate: Sun, 10 Jul 2005
Source: Herald News (NJ)
Copyright: 2005 North Jersey Media Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.northjersey.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2911
Author: Robert Sharpe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)

NEEDLE EXCHANGE CUTS DOWN ON HIV

Needle exchange has been proven to reduce the spread of HIV without 
increasing drug use. It also serves as a bridge to drug treatment for 
an especially hard-to-reach population.  Drug users are not the only 
beneficiaries. U.S. Centers for Disease Control researchers estimate 
that 57 percent of AIDS cases among women and 36 percent of overall 
AIDS cases in the United States are linked to injection drug use or 
sex with partners who inject drugs. This easily preventable 
public-health crisis is a direct result of zero-tolerance laws that 
restrict access to clean syringes.  In the interest of containing the 
HIV epidemic, let's hope New Jersey's tough-on-drugs politicians 
acknowledge the drug war's tremendous collateral damage sooner rather 
than later.

- - RobertSharpe, policy analyst

CommonSense for DrugPolicy

Arlington,
Va. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth