Pubdate: Wed, 04 Oct 2006 Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 Times Colonist Contact: http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481 Author: Mary Davies POINTLESS TO HIDE NEEDLE PROBLEM During my son's ninth birthday party in Beacon Hill Park, one of the adults spotted a syringe on the grass where we were grouping up to take the photo. Once we got rid of it the kids were rolling around on the grass right where the syringe had been found. What a different ending this party could have had were it not for the great eyes of one of the parents. For so many reasons I believe a safe-injection site is a good thing for users and the public. The health-care costs incurred by the spread of disease through shared needles, improper use of needles and the public getting stuck by one hiding in the grass simply must outweigh the costs of a safe-injection site. My children apparently need to be worried about rolling around on the grass in a park. The school they attend has also been hit quite hard with left-behind syringes and I worry about the health risk this is creating for our kids. Many people think a safe-injection site is condoning drug use. That is ridiculous. If people want to hide the drug problem they may find it stuck in their child at a birthday party. A safe-injection site is good for everyone. Mary Davies, Victoria. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine