Pubdate: Thu, 04 Nov 2010 Source: Outlook, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2010 Black Press Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/MRtUjxYF Website: http://www.bclocalnews.com/greater_vancouver/northshoreoutlook/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1433 Author: Sean Kolenko Business owners question implementation, and necessity, of NV needle exchange program The North Shore is the last area within Vancouver Coastal Health's (VCH) service region to offer a needle exchange program, but that hasn't stopped some business owners in the Lower Lonsdale community from worrying about what effects the service will have on their shops. The needle exchange, which the VCH office at 132 W. Esplanade began offering in the summer, was the main topic of discussion at a Lower Lonsdale Business Association meeting on Oct. 27. Feelings toward the new service ranged from acceptance to skepticism to outright dismissal among the gathering's 16 attendees. "I'm worried about different people coming into my store and I don't want to add more than I need," said Frances Martin, owner of Francesca Boutique located at 106 W Esplanade. "I'll be fighting this all the way. Maybe it helps, but it is in the wrong area." Donna Hollaran, manager of community and family health for VCH, was at the meeting to explain what the needle exchange program hopes to accomplish on the North Shore. VCH's goal for the service, she said, is to target five residents a month. Since the program started in the summer, the needle exchange has seen only six people use the service. Halloran added that, in addition to helping stop the spread of HIV, Hepatitis C and other communicable diseases, the new program also serves as a point of contact for their office's employees to refer drug users to various agencies that can help them with their addictions. "We're offering a safe alternative. We can't force things, we're a starting point to establish trust," said Halloran. "From there we can help them and, hopefully, point them to where they can go for treatment." Al Peralta, former of owner of the now-closed restaurant Bella Candela, questioned the implementation of the needle exchange, while openly agreeing with the health benefits such a service provides. More education for business owners in the area, he added, would have helped with any initial backlash, rather than them hearing about the new program after the fact. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt