Need More Convincing? Read "The Needle Nexus"

New York Times Magazine, November 17, 2009 - Needle exchange is AIDS prevention that works. While no one wants to have to put on a condom, every drug user prefers injecting with a clean needle. In 2003, an academic review of 99 cities around the world found:

• cities with needle exchange saw their H.I.V. rates among injecting drug users drop 19 percent a year.
• cities without needle exchange had an 8 percent increase per year.

Contrary to popular fears, needle exchange has not led to more drug use or higher crime rates. Studies have also found that drug addicts participating in needle ­exchanges are more likely to enter rehabilitation programs. Using needle exchange as part of a comprehensive attack on H.I.V. is endorsed by virtually every relevant United Nations and United States-government agency.

Drug injectors don’t pass infection only among themselves. Through their sex partners, H.I.V. is spread into the general population. In many countries, the H.I.V. epidemic began among drug injectors. In Russia in 2000, for example, needle-sharing was directly responsible for more than 95 percent of all cases of H.I.V. infection. So virtually all those with H.I.V. in Russia can trace their infection to a shared needle not many generations back. Though it has been scorned as special treatment for a despised population, AIDS prevention for drug users is in fact crucial to preventing a wider epidemic.

Read the complete story in The New York Times Magazine here.

The Civil Grand Jury Report: The First Big Step

The steps leading up to today are many - but perhaps one of the biggest leaps was the 2007-2008 Civil Grand Jury report recommending syringe exchange as a viable (& necessary) prevention option for Stanislaus County. As many of us already know, the vote before the BOS went against public health and social service recommendations 4-0. As it turned out, the Supervisors sided with the weak arguments and unsupported testimonies of law enforcement, ignoring the common sense, experienced, and realistic arguments of those in the know. So we move forward .... one step at a time ..........

• To read the complete 2007-2008 report from the Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury, click here. Some attachments are missing but can be obtained from the Grand Jury office at (209) 558-7766
• To read the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors' response, click here.

To read some of the write-ups in the Modesto Bee during this period, click below:

• July 2, 2008 by Adam Ashton
• July 11, 2008 Letter to the Editor (Against syringe exchange)
• July 19, 2008 Letter to the Editor
• September 17, 2008 by Tim Moran
• Click here and scroll down to page 4 for a Letter to the Editor of the Bee from former Civil Grand juror Elizabeth Vencill after the BOS decision (this is no longer in the Bee archive for some reason - I found this link on the HCV advocate website.)

A few interesting tidbits from the Civil Grand Jury Report:

• The direct lifetime cost of one HIV/AIDS patient - $144,000 - $600,000; one Hepatitis C patient - $100,00 (if a liver transplant is needed add an additional $300,000)
• These figures do not include some of the social implications of lost wages, disability benefits, unemployment, lost tax revenue and social security benefits. Not to mention all of the other implications ...
• Hepatitis C is the second most frequently transmitted communicable disease in Stanislaus County - called the "Giant in the Closet" by Stanislaus County Health Services Agency
• At least 70% and up to 90% of injection drug users in US have Hep C.
• New cases of Hep C in Stanislaus County were projected at 11.9 per week in 2008.
• 33.4 % of HIV/AIDS cases in Stanislaus County are directly related to injection drug use.
• Syringe exchange programs reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C to law enforcement, health care providers, family members, newborn infants, sexual partners, and uninfected injection drug users.

How Do We Convince People It Doesn't Glamorize Drug Use?

We are one of but a few places with such a major need for syringe exchange that actually is led by people who believe exchanging needles glamorizes, supports, and increases drug use. It just doesn't make sense to me. On any level. SEPs are also still unauthorized in Colorado. Some of the same reasons are given there as are given here. People are just as confused there are they are here. And the picture of drug use is not that different in Colorado.

• Check out this article in the Denver Westword News - "Why doesn't Colorado get the point of needle exchange programs?". It talks about underground exchange and shares some personal stories - I enjoyed it.
• This article in Go-Go Magazine, "Surviving Heroin", is from 2000, but I found it to be a spectacular read, even if it is a little bit long. Although this was written almost 10 years ago, stuff ain't changin'. And the thing is, both these articles I linked you to from outta Colorado could really be Anywhere, USA. Lord knows it all applies to Stanislaus County, USA.

District Attorney Forces Trial in a Stand Against Syringe Exchange: Volunteers Back in the News

An update to the Mono Park syringe exchange case printed in today's Modesto Bee Local section. We appreciate the Bee's continued interest in the case. We also really hope they will take their inquiry to the next level at some point in the future and do some really comprehensive pieces about SEPs in the valley. As you will read in the article, part of the DA's new "deal" involves the volunteers agreeing to stay away from Mono Park. Ironically, this was just one day after a ridiculous number of syringes (65+) and other drug parapernalia were cleaned up in the area by Off the Streets volunteers. Seven volunteers spent but an hour and a half over only two blocks to yield these finds. It makes us all wonder how many more we left behind still to be found. The Modesto Bee article also did not mention another key part to the clean up in the Mono Park area which was the community outreach and education component. A volunteer went door to door and spoke to people on the street about the laws, educating their kids, and knowing what to do and who to call if one finds a used syringe. An informational handout was also provided to those living in the area. The Mono Park volunteers were very upset by the District Attorney's offer, turned it down without question, and still remain confused by the whole turn of events. Stay away from Mono Park? It was insulting and sad. Tears from Tribuzio were of disbelief. Off the Streets members are also perplexed. According to one volunteer, "How can you tell people not to help when the need is so great and no one else is doing anything?"

Volunteers who attended the clean-up on Sunday took part in no questionable behavior whatsoever to encourage such a reaction from the DAs office. Neighbors welcomed the volunteers and actually pointed them to specific areas that needed syringes picked up. For the DA to send this message to a group of people who actually care and are doing something positive for the community is disturbing. And for the record, since the Modesto Needle Exchange was shut down by the Sheriff's Department in April no needle exchanging has taken place. Disease continues to spread and will until authorization is realized.

Stanislaus County Syringe Exchange Issue & "Mono Park 2" In the News

I am the kind of person that doesn't always believe what I read. Especially in the newspaper. Even more especially online. I have a keen awareness of the fact that a news article, a special report at 6, or an online news brief can only offer so much of the truth. It's all about perception and spin - and some situations are spun more than others. When 2 volunteers of the Modesto Needle Exchange were busted in an elaborate undercover sting operation by the Sheriff in April, the blogging world started to buzz. Some thought they knew the whole story (even though they didn't), independent publications were sharing their piece. People were talking, the word started to spread. The "Mono Park 2" was born. Surreal. It's hard to sit back and accept some of the things being spit out there in the cyberworld. The volunteers have been judged, labeled, lied about, and called names. The truth has been skewed, important facts left out, and biases have been painfully evident - on both sides of the issue. At one point during the past 6 months they had to stop paying attention. It hurt. It was frustrating. It was stressful. And it didn't seem fair. More recently, the Modesto Bee has joined in telling the Bee's version of the story. Merrill Balassone is great and has been very supportive. And having the Bee want to put a piece on the front page is a pretty big deal right now. Some think it was a decent article, others thoght is was weak, abd others still thought that it painted the volunteers in the wrong light. Even though we did have some problems with the article - how things were worded, the weak title, and all of the important stuff that was missing - the Bee did the right thing by deciding to run the piece front and center. It was a good start for raising some awareness and stirring some debate. The Bee will do follow-up on the volunteers' legal struggles and will also watch what Off the Streets does in the future. Some of the facts were slightly incorrect, but the Drug War Chronicle also did a write-up. It was a pretty good piece - and really, every ally and every bit of media we can get counts for something. The more people who know about the issue the better. Click on the links below to read some of what has recently been written about syringe exchange in Stanislaus County. The Modesto Bee - October 25, 2009 Drug War Chronicle - October 23, 2009 With more media attention coming up, Off the Streets will post the links for you here as they are released.