Posted on 11/30/2015 7:14:00 PM PST by artichokegrower
In 1997, I went to a “needle exchange†in San Francisco to see firsthand how the “harm reduction program†prevented the spread of HIV among addicts. Exchange staff offered vitamins, treatment for sores and referrals to kick the habit; addicts handed over carefully bundled needles in a one-dirty-for-one-clean exchange. Users’ participation demonstrated that they had not given up on themselves.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
If you give away cheese to rats you are going to get a whole lot more rats.
Same thing in Santa Cruz:
Profitable beaches and NEEDLES from scum-bags do not mix.
It sends a bad message and simply attracts moaning, scrawny phalanxes of bad people, like something out of The Walking Dead.
And then every now and then one of the whacked-out ones up and kill some innocent passer-by for NO REASON.
BAD FOR TOURISM, BAD FOR BIZ.
I have a friend who works on commercial rooftop air conditioners in Santa Cruz. He tells me that he has to be very careful working on them because junkies toss their needles up on the roofs.
Many, many moons ago (a little indian lingo there) I noticed an article about this very same needle exchange practice. This this turns out to be a very efficient method for drug dealers to connect with their drugged-out customers. The ‘customers’ who have no phone or address are not always easy to locate, and the dealers can connect and sell their products so much more efficiently at the needle exchange sites.
The guy wearing heavy boots in the pic at the source link makes sense. But here’s a better idea: DON’T LIVE THERE.
And Zurich used to have Needle Park
Meanwhile citizens with diabetes need to (A) have a prescription to get their syringes and (B) must pay for their syringes.
Dope addicts get them for free.
Bad analogy ... what's going on is that the rats who currently have rotten disease-spreading cheese get to trade it in for disease-free cheese, so you are going to get less disease.
"More rats" assumes that there are a significant number of people who are deterred from IV drug use by the lack of clena needles but would not be deterred by addiction and death - which is silly on the face of it.
The moral nod at keeping it up in this dicey milieu is the rat cheese here.
Sounds like a place for savvy diabetics to go. Nobody says you HAVE to use it for the dope, huh.
(OK, being a bit sardonic here)
The moral nod at keeping it up in this dicey milieu is the rat cheese here.
Not sure I'm following you here. Are you saying that there are a significant number of people who would be deterred from IV drug use by the withholding of a "moral nod" although they are not deterred by disease, addiction, and death?
There might be.
As an analogy, I don’t think people either ought to be banned from drinking themselves to death or encouraged by governments to do it.
It’s not like those who are willing to go to the bother can’t find a better way on their own anyhow. Some bleach and some running water works wonderfully.
At some point you do have to let those bent on going to hell, do it by themselves.
And at any rate, the government facilities... would they allow any pamphlets about Jesus to be there? In one last gasp measure to bring salvation to the picture?
Color me skeptical.
There might be.
There we'll have to agree to disagree. I think it's self-evident that in the current climate, the withholding of a "moral nod" means little overall ... and particularly little to IV drug addicts.
As an analogy, I don't think people either ought to be banned from drinking themselves to death or encouraged by governments to do it.
Which brings us back to my point: needle exchanges are "encouragement" only if there are a significant number of people who would be deterred from IV drug use by the withholding of a "moral nod" or the lack of clean needles - although they are not deterred by disease, addiction, and death.
At some point you do have to let those bent on going to hell, do it by themselves.
If government needle exchanges can't be shown to save more taxpayer money on 'free' health care than they cost (directly or indirectly) then they shouldn't exist. Since clean needles are much cheaper than hospital stays, I think it's very plausible that they are money-savers. (Whereas - to anticipate a counterargument - the War on Drugs is clearly not a money-saver.)
the government facilities... would they allow any pamphlets about Jesus to be there? In one last gasp measure to bring salvation to the picture?
Excellent point. It would be far better if government simply permitted private entities to conduct needle exchanges.
At the least, don’t dragoon me, through my representatives, at greasing someone’s skids to hell. Let them find their own grease. There is no “agree to disagree” here — I will actively fight that.
Objectively valid only if needle exchanges are in fact "grease" (or "encouragement" or "cheese") - but your conscientious objection is another argument for leaving needle exchanges to private entities.
Experts in addiction would tell you, yes. I respect their wisdom enough to not ask for my government to do it.
Yes, I do believe in permission (meaning private) for people to go to hell, though not speaking well of those who thus indulge. That is the only thing that makes it meaningful for people to choose to go to heaven.
I recall hearing the opposite. Have any cites handy?
Same to you. Look up the term “enabling” as a hint.
It matters. You want clean needles, it is not a trip to Mars, only a trip to Aldis.
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