Debating Needle Giveaway

DEBATING NEEDLE GIVEAWAY Re "Board vote on sales of needles delayed," Aug. 11: As someone who attended the meeting, I would like to applaud supervisors Roger Dickinson and Illa Collin for their principled stance in defense of a proven, if controversial, public policy. One theme that kept recurring among the opponents was that these programs affect only a small portion of the population. This is false; indeed, anyone who pays taxes or insurance premiums is daily picking up the costs of treating such illnesses as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, which indiscriminately infects both irresponsible drug users and their innocent victims in the community. Furthermore, none of the opponents were able to cite any kind of statistics supporting their claims that clean needle programs are ineffective or dangerous. This was pointedly contrasted by the informed opinion of the physicians, pharmacists, health care officials and community leaders who spoke in support of the proposal. We should applaud supervisors Don Nottoli, Roberta McGlashan and Susan Peters for their somber reflection on the issue, and hope that in October, they adhere to their responsibilities and act to address this very real crisis. - - John G. Vigna Sacramento



















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