Pubdate: Mon, 10 Apr 2006 Source: Daily Tar Heel, The (U of NC, Edu) Copyright: 2006 DTH Publishing Corp Contact: http://www.dailytarheel.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1949 Author: Caitlin Legacki Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange) LEADERS PUSH FOR NEEDLE EXCHANGE RALEIGH - As a part of N.C. Students United for HIV Prevention, an energetic crowd of activists, legislators and health care providers gathered to rally for needle exchange programs and the passage of House Bill 411. The bill, which would provide funding for three needle exchange pilot programs, is in committee in the N.C. House, which reconvenes next month. About 100 people marched from Bicentennial Park to the Governor's Mansion and around the state capitol to encourage support of the bill. "It's going to reduce the likelihood of people using unclean, dirty needles, and that's hopefully going to cause people to get involved in treatment and rehabilitation," said Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield, D-Wilson, who supports the bill. "And I think it's going to end up being cost effective in the long run. If you look at the cost of treating people with HIV, that's over $60,000 per person." Opponents of needle exchange programs maintain that such programs actually encourage drug use and do nothing to solve the greater problem of addiction. "People say that needle exchange only fuels drug abuse and addiction," said Nab Dasgupta, a graduate student in the UNC School of Public Health and research chairman for the N.C. Harm Reduction Coalition. "The ultimate goal of needle exchange is to save lives, not only through the prevention of HIV, but also by reducing the amount of drugs being used." Dasgupta said he decided to come to UNC because North Carolina doesn't have a legal needle exchange program in place and he wanted to lead the change. Michael Harney also attended the rally Friday. He is an outreach worker at a needle exchange program in Asheville, one he describes as "illegal but tolerated." The Needle Exchange Program of Asheville has been operating on private funds since 1994 with support from such groups as the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and philanthropist George Soros. "We have never asked for state money, nor would we ask for state money," Harney said. "I'm not asking the governor to put more money into our program. I'm asking him to make it legal that we can reach out to people who need our services." A primary theme at the rally was that HIV and AIDS prevention is an issue that transcends cultural barriers. "This is an issue that doesn't just affect people of color, but people of all communities, people of different races, people of different genders." said Joell Royal, a student at Bennett College for Women in Greensboro who participated in 2005 Black AIDS Institute Summer Internship Program in Los Angeles. "My mom is HIV positive and she contracted the virus from intravenous drug use," she said, noting that she has worked to educate others about prevention since her mom was diagnosed. "And I believe maybe if there was a needle exchange back then when she needed it, it would have lowered her risk for HIV." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman