Pubdate: Wed, 28 May 2008 Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC) Copyright: 2008, BC Newspaper Group Contact: http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948 Author: Toby Gorman Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange) CITY AIMS TO TAKE CARE OF NEEDLES A discussion over needle drop boxes in Nanaimo's south end is coming to a point. James Younger, a resident responding to a Safer Nanaimo Working Group report, says residents in the Nob Hill area are becoming desperate trying to keep the neighbourhood free of used hypodermic needles used for illegal drug use. He said parents scour the streets and park in Nob Hill every Friday, Saturday and Sunday to keep children safe. But the parents have no place to put the contaminated needles except in the garbage. "The people in the park call it Needle Thursday," said Younger, referring to health services that hand out needles to drug users that day. "So we'd better watch our step on Friday." The working group was established in November 2007 and has since worked with downtown businesses and residents to create a needle drop box program. From those consultations, a one-year pilot project using three drop boxes will begin as soon as suitable locations are found, possibly in four to six weeks. City Coun. Diane Brennan agreed the topic needs to be fast tracked so parents can dispose of the needles safely, but said more consultation needs to be done. "We need to know where the best places to put the drop boxes would be," she said. "But we're not just going to stand around while residents are out there working." In Nanaimo a needle exchange service is already provided by the Vancouver Island Health Authority for intravenous drug users, but the service is inadequate for collecting all used needles. Needle drop boxes can already be found in other areas like airports and on ferries, and other municipalities like Ottawa have had success with similar programs. Mayor Gary Korpan said legal implications have delayed the drop boxes, but council is taking the matter seriously. "There is no doubt this should have been done long ago," he said. The boxes are designed around a one-gallon biohazard pail and when full will be emptied by the Fire Rescue Department. From there the needles will be stored safely in a locker before being disposed of by a dangerous goods-licensed contractor. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom