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Syringe Exchange Programs Create Greater Issues Than Proposed
This is a brief analysis of syringe exchange programs and the negative effects the programs have on addicts and the community they occupy.
Syringe Exchange Programs Create Greater Issues Than Proposed
By Ariele Dwyer
An issue in our community is drug addiction and offering free needles through programs like Face to Face aids in the continuation of addiction in Sonoma County. Additionally, needle exchange programs create more problems for community members and the addicts themselves. Syringe Exchange Programs (SEPs) like Face to Face offer clean needles in hopes of eliminating the spread of HIV through needle exchange. The sentiment seems positive; however, this doesn't stop the real problem at hand, addiction, and creates several other problems that affect others.
Face to Face does not offer dirty needle pickup. Oftentimes, used needles are left uncapped in parks and other populated areas and the people who work in those areas are told by law enforcement that it is not their responsibility to pick up those dirty needles. Disposal is now dependent on the person who finds said needles. I have called the local police department to ask them to properly dispose of these needles and they have told me that they would help me one time but to address my concerns with the local government and specifically with the Sonoma County needle exchange program that offers these free needles, Face to Face.
Research (Packham 2019) has been done stating these programs did decrease the number of individuals contracting HIV; however, this also created more individuals hospitalized by opioids and increased the number of opioid related deaths. According to a study conducted by Analisa Packham of Vanderbilt University, “SEPs increase drug-related mortality rates by 11.6 percent and opioid-related mortality rates by 25.4 percent. Additionally,some evidence shows that SEPs lead to a higher rate of emergency room visits and in-patient stays for drug-related complications.” While one issue has been addressed and lessened, another issue arises. These syringe exchange programs care less about recovery, create greater issues for communities and need to be rethought.
Ariele Dwyer is a Sociology major at Sonoma State University. She is a Sonoma County native. Dwyer hopes to raise awareness about drug and alcohol addiction in Sonoma County.
Sources:
https://www.nber.org/papers/w26111
https://f2f.org/
By Ariele Dwyer
An issue in our community is drug addiction and offering free needles through programs like Face to Face aids in the continuation of addiction in Sonoma County. Additionally, needle exchange programs create more problems for community members and the addicts themselves. Syringe Exchange Programs (SEPs) like Face to Face offer clean needles in hopes of eliminating the spread of HIV through needle exchange. The sentiment seems positive; however, this doesn't stop the real problem at hand, addiction, and creates several other problems that affect others.
Face to Face does not offer dirty needle pickup. Oftentimes, used needles are left uncapped in parks and other populated areas and the people who work in those areas are told by law enforcement that it is not their responsibility to pick up those dirty needles. Disposal is now dependent on the person who finds said needles. I have called the local police department to ask them to properly dispose of these needles and they have told me that they would help me one time but to address my concerns with the local government and specifically with the Sonoma County needle exchange program that offers these free needles, Face to Face.
Research (Packham 2019) has been done stating these programs did decrease the number of individuals contracting HIV; however, this also created more individuals hospitalized by opioids and increased the number of opioid related deaths. According to a study conducted by Analisa Packham of Vanderbilt University, “SEPs increase drug-related mortality rates by 11.6 percent and opioid-related mortality rates by 25.4 percent. Additionally,some evidence shows that SEPs lead to a higher rate of emergency room visits and in-patient stays for drug-related complications.” While one issue has been addressed and lessened, another issue arises. These syringe exchange programs care less about recovery, create greater issues for communities and need to be rethought.
Ariele Dwyer is a Sociology major at Sonoma State University. She is a Sonoma County native. Dwyer hopes to raise awareness about drug and alcohol addiction in Sonoma County.
Sources:
https://www.nber.org/papers/w26111
https://f2f.org/
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