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Wednesday, February 9, 2005

from the Springfield Republican

Advocates promote needle exchange
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
By MIKE PLAISANCE
mplaisance@repub.com

SPRINGFIELD - If the city were to have a needle-exchange program, it would be mobile, possibly operating out of a van, officials and advocates said last night.

The van would focus on the three highest drug use areas: the North End, South End and Mason Square, they said.

The mobile unit would establish a known presence between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. on particular days, they said, with counselors on board to distribute educational brochures, treatment referrals and other help.

City Councilors Bud L. Williams and Kateri B. Walsh resumed work on a needle-exchange proposal but with a focus on details aimed at making it acceptable to a skeptical council majority when presented in two to four weeks.

The meeting at City Hall of the council Public Health and Safety Committee drew about 20 doctors, program operators, activists and officials.

Supporters such as Jon E. Zibbell of Leverett, of the Springfield Users Council, consider the program a health issue. Giving a clean needle to an intravenous drug user who turns in a used, or dirty, needle is a way to reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS among users who share infected needles, supporters say.

But, Zibbell said, the reality is the discussion here is less about health than about politics, and specifically, about counting votes. Only four of the nine councilors support adoption of a proposed, state-funded needle-exchange program.

A majority vote would approve the program, but it could be vetoed by Mayor Charles V. Ryan, who said he feels needle exchange condones drug use. A six-vote margin would be needed to override a mayoral veto.

Helen Caulton-Harris, director of the city Health and Human Services Department, said the most active drug areas are the North End, the South End and Mason Square.

Herschelle Reaves of Springfield, also of the Users Council, which pushes for needle exchange, was among those saying early morning to early afternoon were the best hours for the mobile program to operate. That's when drug users awake and look for needles, they said.

"If we can save one, two, 10 lives, that's why I think it's worth it," Reaves said.

Councilor Rosemarie Mazza Moriarty was the only one in the room who expressed opposition, saying she was willing to listen but had ethical problems with the city providing drug-use needles.

"I have a real hard time with that," Mazza Moriarty said.

Nick Wolf of Suffield, a Springfield native, said needle exchange is not only healthy, it makes economic sense. Government eventually will pay when drug users wind up in the hospital with AIDS or other problems, he said.

"To me, it's a no-brainer," Wolf said.

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