DdC

John P. Walters doesn’t pass any serious test of rationality.

Value of needle exchanges accepted by U.S. government

White House moves to fund needle exchanges as drug treatment

The Obama administration has designated intravenous needle exchanges as a drug treatment program, allowing federal money set aside to treat addictions to be used to distribute syringes to narcotics users. [...]

The new position, determined by the surgeon general, is that the states can receive federal funding for programs that hand out the syringes as a treatment. [...]

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina M. Benjamin told The Washington Examiner that needle exchange programs can serve as a gateway to treatment for drug addiction, HIV and other diseases.

“This determination, based on years of scientific research, will permit states and territories to use Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant funds for what had formerly been termed ‘needle exchange,’ ” Benjamin said.

Well that’s pretty clear. And uncontroversial. After all, who would object to a program that saves lives, doesn’t increase drug use and helps move hard core addicts to treatment?

Oh.continued...



Thailand rounding up its own people into camps

The US Drug War Against the Akha People

Robert DuPont Urine Testing Company
Carlton Turner (Drug Czar under Reagan 1981-1986) was forced to resign after announcing his conclusions in public that marijuana caused homosexuality, the breakdown of the immune system, and, therefore, AIDS. After his resignation, Turner joined with Robert DuPont and former head of NIDA, Peter Bensinger, to corner the market on urine testing. They contracted as advisors to 250 of the largest corporations to develop drug diversion, detection, and urine testing programs.
(Carlton Turner: Poisoning Pot Smokers, Phony Paraquat Kits, A Wanton Disregard For Life),



Governor Schwarzenegger Vetoes California Needle Exchange Bills 10/8/10
California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger last week vetoed 2 legislative proposals that would have allowed greater access to clean syringes to help injection drug users avoid contracting HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other blood-borne diseases transmitted by used needles.

CA Remains One of 3 States that Doesn't Allow Pharmacies
to Sell Syringes Without Prescription

Schwarzenegger Signs Pot Decriminalization Bill,
But Vetoes Lifesaving Measures Regarding Other Drugs Oct 1, 2010
Two other bills affecting that most despised of American minorities, users of needle drugs, that passed the legislature because of their positive effects on health and safety were also vetoed this week by Schwarzenegger: SB 1029 and AB 1858.



The Drug Policy Alliance explained the good sense behind SB 1029:
California is behind much of the country when it comes to preventing HIV and hepatitis C. California is one of only three states in the country that still prohibits pharmacists from selling syringes to an adult without a prescription. Almost no other state restricts pharmacists in this way. In California thousands of people a year still contract HIV or hepatitis C from sharing injection equipment because they are unable to buy them in a pharmacy. HIV and hepatitis are both costly, deadly diseases, and the cost of caring for them often falls on public resources. A current limited pilot program is due to expire at the end of the year, despite clear evidence of success.

California Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs,
Vetoes HIV/AIDS-Related Bills Oct 16, 2007

The first bill (AB 110), sponsored by Assembly member John Laird (D), repeals a ban on using state funds to purchase clean needles and syringes for distribution by needle-exchange programs. Needle-exchange programs are legal in California but only if authorized by a city or county. Local and state funding of such programs is legal, but California previously prohibited the use of state grants to purchase needles for the programs. Needle-exchange programs are ineligible for federal funding.

Schwarzenegger also signed into law a bill (AB 682) -- sponsored by Assembly members Patty Berg (D), Bonnie Garcia (R) and Jared Huffman (D) -- that aims to increase the number of people tested for HIV in the state. Instead of providing written consent for HIV tests, patients under the bill routinely will receive the tests from doctors and hospitals unless they decline to be tested.

Prison Condom Bill
Schwarzenegger also vetoed a measure (AB 1334) that would have provided prison inmates in the state with condoms in an effort to reduce the spread of HIV



Schwarzenegger Signs Syringe Access Bill, Vetoes NEP Bill 9/24/04
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger(R) October 13 signed into law legislation allowing people to buy up to 10 syringes at a time without a prescription. The new law, which is designed to reduce the incidence of HIV and Hepatitis C infections from needle-sharing by injection drug users, is similar to measures approved by the legislature but vetoed by Democratic Gov. Gray Davis. The bill, sponsored by Sen. John Vasconcellos (D), won approval only after restrictions were added. It sets out a trial program lasting until the end of 2010, and pharmacists will be allowed to sell syringes only if local authorities approve the program. The same day, Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill that would have made operating needle exchange programs (NEPs) easier by eliminating the requirement that they be continuously reauthorized by local authorities.

Gov. Schwarzenegger OK's Increased Needle Sales 21 Sep 2004
Schwarzenegger cited a growing body of research that has shown access to sterile needles reduces the spread of viruses like HIV in a one-page letter explaining his signature. The new law, which goes into effect Jan. 1, requires local governments to approve the idea before sales begin.

Police Seek Charges in Alleged Unlicensed Needle-exchange program
SPRINGFIELD, Mass 21 Sep 2004

Gov. Schwarzenegger's signing message
Needle sharing is linked to at least 19% of all AIDS cases and one half of all Hepatitis C cases in California.

Schwarzenegger Vetoes Needle Exchange Funding Fri, 14 Oct 2005
Ignoring the urging of county governments and medical experts, Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed Assembly Bill 1597 by John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), a bill to control the spread of HIV, hepatitis and other diseases.



Harm Reduction Coalition
California Syringe Exchange Programs
List: County * Program * City * Phone

University of California
UC Newsroom 2001-07-26

Syringe-Exchange programs Effective in Reducing the Spread of AIDS

"Our review of the literature should blunt the claims of opponents of syringe exchange, but I'm not optimistic that it will," said lead author David R. Gibson, associate professor of infectious diseases at UC Davis and a senior scientist at UC San Francisco's Center for AIDS Prevention Studies. "Opponents of syringe-exchange programs can be quite data-resistant."



Needle Exchange
* Links: Needle Exchange
* Organizations and Resources
* Needle Exchange Programs and Locations
* Supervised Injection Sites

Clean Needles Now.org
Clean Needles Now has operated on a strong harm reduction philosophy since inception. Our mission is to support the human rights of all drug users and their communities, especially the right to protect their own health. Clean Needles Now serves a highly marginalized population of IDUs with dignity and respect and provides them with user-driven, low-threshold direct services, outreach and advocacy. Our commitment to having former and current users on staff ensures that the user’s perspective is always a prime consideration.

Clean Needles Now provides syringe exchange, primary health care, HIV, Hepatitis C, and STD screenings; Hepatitis A and B immunization, peer education training, OD prevention and Naloxone distribution. We also provide safer injection supplies and training’s for general health issues that apply to injection drug users.



[PDF] Syringe Exchange in California: Policy, Programs and Progress

News & Culture in CA
Needle-exchange programs
Hitting the Funding Vein

With a new state initiative, needle-exchange programs finally get what they really need from government: money

They come into his workplace, the Drop-in Center on Front Street in Santa Cruz, hand him a collection of drug-tainted, sometimes HIV- or Hepatitis C–infected needles, and in return he smiles and hands back an equal number of fresh, clean needles.

Up until a month ago, Stonehouse was completely reliant upon donations from local community members and private foundations to fund the center...

But then came a surprise. In a precedent-setting move, on June 1 the California Office of AIDS supplied $75,000 per year for three years to Stonehouse's needle-exchange program, although the money cannot be used for the syringes themselves. This marks the first time the center and nine other programs like it throughout the state have received government money. The total amount handed out by the Office of AIDS was $2.25 million, all of which came out of the general fund and could have been used for other programs if government staff had so chosen.



Sterile Syringes Prevent Spreading Disease... Duh!

SageTree

Thank God for Higher Education... or else we might still be sharing the needles....


In reality though... kids can't get over the 'moral' aspects of using in the first place to see the use in clean ones and how much, oh say in Canada, giving clean needles vs taking care of a person with HIV/AIDS, Hep C etc.... weighs out on a cost-benefit scale.

In a place with private healthcare though.... sure someone's making a boat load off sick people.

Major DERP!!!

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