I'm getting really tired of all of the people who think that handing out needles and condoms is "helping" the problem because people have less chance of dying of disease, like AIDS or hepatitis. What about dying of overdose? Never kicking the habit? These are the same people who likely let their underage teenagers drink liquor in their own house (and maybe even buy it for them), or put their daughters on the birth control pill because, after all, "they're going to do it anyway". Does anyone realize that this attitude hugely contributes to the problem? When have we stopped teaching AGAINST these behaviours? Why? How much does Hollywood have to do with this? Is it because adults don't want to change their own behaviour and therefore can't teach their kids differently?

I have some understanding about addiction. My dad is an alcoholic and drank away our food money for much of my time growing up. Addiction is absolutely TOUGH to beat. But never, under any circumstances, would we have bought him booze (so that he could stay at home to drink it, and not drive while drinking - same principle, right?). Unfortunately, he still has not beat his addiction and will likely die a drunk. If we would have "aided and abetted" his drinking he would still be a drunk, without a doubt.

When will people, and the health district particularly, wake up and realize that these are only bandaid solutions? Much like Tylenol only treats the symptoms of pain and not the source, so is handing out condoms and needles.

Yes, these people need help. But not this kind.

so many comments. where to start?
1. if you are so concerned about the needles laying around the city volunteer for the community street patrols organized by the health region. Picking up the needles helps more than complaining.
2. why do people continue to believe law enforcement and jail is the answer to addiction? throwing people in prison will not help them to stop using drugs. people still use drugs while in prison and often contract HIV/HepC because denial that the problem exists leaves them without access to clean needles or propper ways to dispose of them. Not to mention no condom distribution because "sex doesn't happen in prison". Moreover, putting people in jail costs the tax payer huge amounts of money and generally makes individuals better criminals. In the United States the war on drugs has resulted in overflowing prisons, high morbidity, an HIV rate of over 50% amoung drug users, high costs to treat HIV, and absolutely no decrease in drug use. ARRESTS AND PRISON TIME IS NOT WORKING!
3. The HIV rate is up 40%. lets not forget that news reporters often report solely their own perspective, only what will get the best reaction from the public, or may not be privy to certain information for various reason;therfore what gets reported is only part of the larger picture. The Health region recently established a new intervention strategy which allowed them to better uncover HIV cases and perform more tests. The HIV rate is up partially because more tests were performed in a high risk population who will not present to traditional testing services due to discrimination and chastizing. It is good that these cases were found because these people could have been positive for a long time, but now that they know it can be dealt with. But of course that wasn't reported by the news paper. In countries with well funded and established harm reduction programs such as needle exchange, methadone, and safe injection sites HIV rates amoung users is as low as 1%. Moreover there is no evidence to suggest harm reduction approaches increase drug use or encourage drug use in non-users...infact is just the opposite!!!!
4. Harm reduction approaches are well documented and researched. While not fullproof they do help to decrease the rates of HIV and HepC. Methadone can help people stop injecting or using completely, help people stablize so that they can work or go back to school and stop relying on crime. It has benefits for both the addict and society, but the program is not with out its faults and problems to be worked out. However, these are not black and white problem with easy solutions. but lets not forget that ADDICTS DO NOT NEED NEEDLE EXCHANGE OR OTHER HARM REDUCTION SERVICES TO USE DRUGS AND DEAD ADDICTS NEVER RECOVER.
5. some facts about the needle exhange- in Saskatoon-users do have to return needles to get needles. the current ration is 1to1. staff do care about how the needles are disposed of and strongly emphasize the importance of returning the needles. Saskatoons exchange program has a good return rate. a database keeps track of all the needles distributed, all the needles returned, and any reported needles in the community. Most of the needles are returned. the needles found in the community is a small portion of what is either distributed by needle exchange or bought at drug stores. staff do pick up needles in the community as much as possible. the number of needles in the community would be more without the program. Staff do want to see the return rate at 100%. The reseans needles are not returned are many and an entire committee is devoted to trying to increase returns. Although diabetics are not the target population, needle exchange would provide needles if they could not afford them...no lies needed. The staff working in the van are trained health professionals and addiction professionals working as a team, who also provide other health services such as testing and treatment. staff never say that injecting or using drugs is safe. The risks are clearly emphazed. Needle exchange is always accompanied by health based education, and referrals to other services. In fact, users are likely to engage in needle exchange because of the outreach services, flexibility and because it does not demand abstinance and they do not face the same judgemental stigma as with other services. This allows people to engage in services and build supports faster than if the services didn't exist. Abstinance is always the goal and many needle exchange clients are referred and enter into detox and treatment facilities each year, by needle exchange staff. Staff is concerned about overdose and tries to educated clients as much as possible about how to recognize overdose and what to do and how to avoid it. Many of the needle exchange staff agree that a safe injection site is better than just a needle exchange. Staff support the idea of a safe injection site because they know it will help with needles in the community and decrease overdose and rates of disease; however it has been hard enough to get funding for needle exchange and methadone let alone a safe injection site because it is a newer concept that the general public and government officials to not understand or approve of. Stephan Harper wants to shut down the safe injection site in Vancouver because he calls it an abomination even though the city police, the mayor and much of the public support it. The health region is aware that needles are still left in the community and that there are many social issues contributing to addiction, but they cannot snap their fingers and make it all disappear. Change takes time, alot of lobbying, and funding, and research...NOT COMPLAINING. Moreover staff are not in the harm reduction field to make money. these jobs are difficult because of the things staff see and deal with, the clients can be unpredictable or hard to engage, there is much critism from the media and the public, friends and family or even other professionals, and there are many fields that pay much better. Staff does the work because they believe users are people who deserve services no matter what stage of change they are in, no matter their motivation to stop using, and because they believe people can change. Yes, addicts can be taught to bring needles back to the van safely packaged in the sharps container and all taped up for disposal...this really happens. Most importantly they do it because if it was them, or their child or friend who was using then they would want their loved ones to have clean needles and people to go to who they could trust not to judge or condem them or not to push them to far to fast.

I am sorry that your parents buy liquor for you. I'm sorry because your parents are teaching you that since "everybody's doing it" there are some laws that are okay to break. No, I have not ever drank or bought liquor (I'm 41), but not because I am good. It's because I have an alcoholic father and cannot see any good in liquor at all. Just because nothing has happened to you....so far.....doesn't mean you have it made in the shade, either.

I really, really hope that your parents wake up. For your sake.

this Health-Region inspired mess, is only one of many the Region has invented and not followed up on, to correct all the problems that come with the well thought out plans these people dream up.Why would they think that a junkie would care about disposing of the used needle? junkies don't care about anything, not themselves or anyone else. they can not expect a junkie to be responsible.As a tax payer I think the best thing the region could do is stop giving the needles to the junkies and insted give the to diebetics, they need them and are not going to litter the parks with them.after all people we the tax payers are paying for this great service the region has invented.

just my two cents

Thank you Tammy for providing a vivid picture of what is happening in our parks and not being scared off by the rhetoric of health officials with their poo-poo 'you don't know what you're taking about because you're not a health person.'

Which came first, the junkie or the drop box?

How about which came first, the junkie or abject poverty?

Tammy spends the vast majority of her article talking about the industries that benefit from the current state of affairs. Perhaps, in her next blog, she could address the fact that our societal structure chooses it.

If we wanted to eradicate the poverty that causes this problem (along with a whole host of others), we would simply do it. But instead, we spend hundreds of dollars on useless junk in our personal lives, and then claim that our taxes are too high to make ends meet.

We need to take another look at just which elements of our society are sickening.

I am deeply concerned and saddened at many of these comments. When did we forget that drug users are PEOPLE! Despite what they struggle with they do have needs, fears, hurts, compassion, wisdom, and yes dreams for a better life, but changing an entire lifestyle is not that easy. Users can teach us many things about life, many thing about ourselves (who we are as people), and help as grow as people. I know many users who are incredable resilient and spiritually rich...some of them help me realize how poor I am in spirit and how shallow I can be. Despite horrific hardships they have the ability to laugh, they have the ability to share compassion with others, and they know how to admitt their shortcommings and ask for help. What does that say about who they are as human beings. Sure they have done bad things to support their addiction at times, but after getting to know many users I've realized those are just things they have done....not who they really are. We have all done things in our life we are not proud of. All people need compassion and understanding to overcome problems....fear and hatred only perpetuates addiction and disease...its how it thrives!

I have been listening to John go on and on about how (stupid, unfair, not right) (you fill in the blank) it is that we give away needles to druggies. I have had a number of occassions to come across needles on the ground in my duties as a mailman. I usually alert the homeowner/apt. caretaker and they will clean them up by the next day. I find it interesting thou that it has not occurred to everyone that it is unfair that those who have legal reasons for having needles have to pay for them. ie/diabetes.... It would be interesting to see if someone gave a person who needed needles for medical reasons a bucket of dirty needles, could they then exchange them for a free bucket of needles from SWAP. These people would be doing the harm reduction in their neighborhoods by cleaning up those left behind by the druggies.

Tammy,what is your answer to this problem?its very easy to critisize and point fingers and say how wrong a program is,like being the oppostition govt,how about you go to an outreach and meet some of the clients that rely on this program to stay clean and healthy as possible,come meet some of the 'Junkies' that you and John want to take away a program and replace it with?????Carmichael outreach in regina is a great place to start your tour..what do yo say?