Pubdate: Sun, 10 May 1998
Source: Dallas Morning News
Contact:  http://www.dallasnews.com
Author: Tom Kallenberg

DON'T GIVE MIXED SIGNALS

Why not support needle exchange for drug users? Because mixed signals are
interpreted by vulnerable people in accord with the least pejorative
explanation. Example: "It's wrong, illegal, and dangerous to use intravenous
drugs, but I'm not going to have you arrested ... here, take these clean
needles." There are other examples: "It's unwise and dangerous for a young
teenager to have sex; here, take these condoms." Another: "You came into
this country illegally? Well, OK, then we'll provide you with most of the
benefits of citizenry."

In each of these cases, the result is more of the proscribed activity, and
increased resignation by society because "we just can't do anything about
it." In the long run, we stand for nothing because we can't stand by
principle.

There is a cost to every policy decision. By distributing needles for drug
addicts, society inevitably reduces the opprobrium of intravenous drug use.
As always, people at the margins will be harmed.

A question: Would The Dallas Morning News support needle exchange in the
Plano school system?

TOM G. KALLENBERG, Princeton

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Checked-by: "Rolf Ernst"