Pros And Cons Of Needle Sharing Practices

Although these clients will still be abusing illegal substances, Sheon (2004) indicated that any reduction of harm is a step in the right direction, and the amount of success is measured by the client’s quality of life and well-being (as cited in Brown et al., 2005). “Harm reduction is about being respectful in somebody else’s world” (Georgina Perry, Service manager and co-author, England as cited in Cusick et al., 2010). By not respecting somebody else’s choices, the clients feel they must lie about their unhealthy lifestyles, which prevents the clients from getting assistance because they were trying to protect themselves from the real situation (Georgina Perry, Service manager and co-author, England as cited in Cusick et al., 2010). A way to reduce the harm from illegal substance abuse is clean needle exchange, and teaching clients how to properly inject themselves (Brown et al., 2005). The needle exchange is a program where clients exchange their used needles for clean ones, which helps reduce the spread of diseases such as HIV/AIDS (Brown et al., 2005). With continuation of these programs the harm from abusing illegal substances is reduced and the spread of life threatening diseases, such as HIV,

One controversial topic is giving out clean needles to heroin addicts through needle exchange programs. This essay will explain why needle exchange programs are beneficial to society. Needle exchange programs have become a controversial topic because one argument states that it starts more drug use and makes the community worse, and one states that it benefits the community and reduces diseases. We should morally fund needle exchange programs, even if people don't utilize them correctly, because many people can change their lives for the good.

America has been fighting a long war with drugs and the many diseases that are spread due to drug habits and dirty needles. Many people believe that the cure to solving this widespread epidemic is The Clean Needle Exchange program; this is a program that offers clean needles to drug abusers and also counseling to reduce the need for drugs. Though there are definitely benefits to the program it does not come without pitfalls, the programs have received a great deal of controversy because some people view it as drug promoting and supporting. The program is also funded by taxpayers which has sparked a lot of criticism and created the ban on needle exchange

The professors said “that addicts should not be the focus of HIV prevention efforts because they would not change their behavior.” Parker was outraged and organized meetings with IDUs to warn them of HIV transference. In one of his meetings two addicts came in with clean syringes, their actions motivated him. In 1986, Parker began distributing and exchanging needles and syringes on the streets of New Haven and Boston, Massachusetts. He has been arrested several times in eight states where it is still illegal to purchase syringes without a prescription. Because of foundational work by Jon Parker and the work in Amsterdam, in two year later the first SEP operated with a bit of community consent opened in Tacoma. In the same year, two more exchange programs surfaced, one in New York and another in San Francisco. Today, there are currently 203 exchange programs operating. Despite the “on and off” support from private state and local funding and help from activist and advocates keep the programs afloat.

Imagine that you are the pilot of a plane traveling to a new and exciting destination. Early in the journey the plane takes off and soars high into the sky where you feel like you are on top of the world, looking down from above at all of the beauty underneath you. On the way to your destination you are anxious and full of excitement in anticipation of the new journey that you are about to experience when all of the sudden your plane starts to shake and you find yourself losing control. At this point you have two options: You can try to change course to regain control and make it through the turbulence or you can continue with what you are doing and let the plane spiral to the ground in a firey crash. This scenario is similar to the life

An increase in drug use, specifically opiates, has overwhelmed the United States. This behavior has led to a rise in the transmission of HIV/Hepatitis C which would be otherwise preventable. The needle exchange programs in Moorhead, Milwaukee, and Scott County are working to lower the transmission rate and increase participation in treatment programs.

On the other hand, people who are against of needle exchange programs claim that the needle exchange programs don’t save lives but instead it can cause drug-related deaths. Even though NEPs help reduce the transmission of HIV and other diseases, they still encourage people to use more drugs, which could lead to death. Addicts are prone to death, perhaps not from HIV, but from overdosed, collapsed veins, poisoned dope, or the violence and criminality that go along with the illicit drug trade. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are more than 33,000 people who died from drug overdose in 2005. As a result, drug overdose become the second

Needle exchange programs also have pros and cons that include; Pros: Data shows that upwards of 90 percent of heterosexually transmitted HIV is related to IV drug use and the sharing of dirty needles, Data shows that in several communities in the US and around the world, HIV transmission has increased where needle sharing and injecting drug use is common, Many exchange programs have proven that it has decreased rate of HIV transmission among IV drug users. The cons include: funding needle exchange programs sends the “wrong message” to children, clean needle exchange will lead to an increase in IV drug use among populations already ravaged by recreational drug use, and federal funding of exchange programs would allow tax dollars to be used to increase the amount of drug paraphernalia in areas already overburdened with IV drug use (Should Needle Exchange Be Funded by Federal Government).

Dirty equipment – having dirty equipment which is not cleaned between patients can spread infection very fast lots of bacteria can be spread on a blood pressure cuff for example.

It is encouraging to know “the fact that no instances of syringe lending or borrowing were observed among individuals who reported performing all injections within the safe injection site...” (M.W. Tyndall et al.). Drug users that go to InSite for their injections are less likely to lend a syringe to someone else. Ninety-four percent of frequent safe injection site users refused to lend out a syringe in the last six months compared to the eighty-nine percent of infrequent users. This is because InSite users benefit from safer injecting education. Approximately eighty percent of safe injection site users practice safer injection (i.e. reusing syringes less often, injecting indoors, and using clean water and equipment). This is also because of learning about safer injecting. The transmission of blood-borne diseases has been reduced and will continue to if more safe injection sites are opened in the Lower Mainland.

As one of AIDS United’s friends put it, “how about actually FUNDING syringe access programs like there is no tomorrow?”  We agree and well into the future, we will let Congress know that we must scale this program up! AIDS United also hopes to increase syringe access to more areas of the country including rural areas that are newly affected by the opioid crisis. Our friends at amfAR recently estimated that there are 194 syringe exchanges in 33 states, not nearly enough. AIDS United is working with coalitions across the country to fight stigma and make syringe access programs legal at the local level.

There is a lot of shame surrounding addiction, and this may deter people from seeking treatment. It is common for one to face rejection from friends or family when they become open about their addiction and because of this fear, they often feel too ashamed to seek help. The person who is addicted will then continue to hide their addiction, often resulting in disastrous consequences. A 2015 study showed that only 20% of current opioid addicts receive treatment for their addiction, and a lot of this is attributed to stigma. By stigmatizing drug addiction and discouraging addicts from seeking treatment, we are allowing the life-ruining effects of addiction to continue

Besides the stigma, we should make sure that the person have enough resources to get out of it. It is essential to tell people about needle exchange program that makes sure that there is disease prevention by using new and safe needles to use. I would also make sure to encourage

Other countries have experienced what America is currently battling with the heroine epidemic. Switzerland began to experience this in the 80’s and early 90’s with a high rate of crime, AIDS epidemic, and “needle parks” that made the country unsafe. The country became unsafe because there were open drug scenes and needles could be found lying around in all sorts of public places. Heroin in the 80’s attracted a certain population of young people who came from a troubled background and had a poor support system. The situation grew increasingly out of hand to the point that it became unsafe and intolerable to the Switzerland citizens. Switzerland citizens became concerned and decided a policy

Needle exchange programs are in place in some areas; however, the establishment and existence of these programs remain controversial in many communities. (1) It is also important to stress to patients the importance of compliance with their entire antibiotic course and follow-up visits. (3) As with all STDs, patient education must be stressed that the importance of safer sexual practices and the need for prompt medical evaluation of chancres and other symptoms of STDs are to be taken seriously. (2)