Pubdate: Wed, 13 Jul 2005
Source: Courier-Post (Cherry Hill, NJ)
Copyright: 2005 Courier-Post
Contact:  http://www.courierpostonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/826
Author: Robert Sharpe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)

CLEAN NEEDLES

Needle exchanges have been proven to reduce the spread of HIV without 
increasing drug use. They also serve as a bridge to drug treatment for an 
especially hard-to-reach population. Drug users are not the only 
beneficiaries. Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
researchers estimate that 57 percent of AIDS cases among women and 36 
percent overall in the nation 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.

ROBERT SHARPE,

Common Sense for Drug Policy, Washington, D.C.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom