Pubdate: Wed, 20 Aug 2008
Source: Kootenay News Advertiser (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008 Kootenay News Advertiser
Contact:  http://www.kootenayadvertiser.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2651
Author: Trevor Crawley
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)

NEW NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAM

The ANKORS Society recently made a presentation to Cranbrook City 
Council regarding the success of a needle exchange program in the 
West Kootenay that they would like to implement at their office.

The needle exchange program focuses on the theme of harm reduction, a 
set of non-judgemental approaches aimed at providing services and 
support for people to be safer and healthier.

Presenting to council were Executive Director Gary Dalton and Board 
Member Deb Summers, both of which took turns advocating for the need 
to implement such a program. They both stress that although harm 
reduction emphasizes a change for safer practices, it still has the 
long term goal of abstinence in drug use.

They explain that oftentimes, a needle exchange program is seen as an 
enabling vehicle for drug use, and point out that while providing 
clean needles may not stop drug use, they can help cut down on the 
spread of blood borne pathogens.

The exchange drop box will be located outside the Family Connections 
building which will allow for streamlining of treatment. Users will 
be able to receive referrals to physicians, mental health and 
counselling, detox, drug rehabilitation, legal aid, transition 
housing and more.

Such a program in the West Kootenay has been running since 1998 and 
it has been a huge success. Quarterly, the society in Nelson receives 
130 to 140 registered clients with a 94 percent exchange rate. They 
average 120,000 needles given away each year.

East Kootenay Addictions Services partnered with ANKORS to put out a 
survey as part of an information gathering initiative. Of the 39 that 
participated, half were located in Cranbrook, a third are employed in 
the community and representation from male and female were equal. 
Stimulants, such as cocaine were more widely used than opiates such 
as heroin. The number of needles used were directly associated with a 
respondents drug of choice.

"Half the respondents are positive for Hepatitis C," says Dalton, 
"and half of the respondents reported sharing their needles and 
equipment." He says that the reasons respondents replied to in 
regards to sharing needles were because of drug use in couples and a 
lack of clean needles. "A quarter of the survey participants have 
used the current needle exchange service at public health and few 
people would purchase needles at a pharmacy," continues Dalton.

Other services offered at the Family Connections building such as 
Better Babies and Big Brothers Big Sisters are on board with the 
program. Dalton says that while the building will house the exchange 
site, efforts will be made to encourage clients that it is not a safe 
injection site. Needles that are exchanged will be taken to Interior 
Health where they will be properly and safely disposed of.

The exchange drop box will be located on the back wall of the 
Cranbrook Family Connections building by the Viking Skate Park.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom