Needle debate to be revived
Tuesday, April 06, 2004

BY MIKE PLAISANCE <mplaisance@repub.com>
NJ Star-Ledger Staff

SPRINGFIELD - City Councilor Bud L. Williams was the hero/culprit the last time needle exchange was an issue, in 1998, and he put himself in the spotlight with it again yesterday.

Williams held an informational meeting at City Hall that he said will in the next several weeks result in the filing of a needle exchange proposal with the City Council.

Williams said he wants the city to adopt a program to provide clean needles to intravenous drug users to hinder the spread of HIV, which causes AIDS, and hepatitis C among drug users who share needles. There is no cure for either AIDS or hepatitis C.

"If we can save one life, I believe that's worth it," Williams said."I'm not supporting drug use. I'm supporting clean needles."

Williams angered backers of needle exchange and pleased opponents when he dropped his support of a state-funded program in November 1998. His switch left the council opposed to the program by a 5-4 vote.

He said at the time he changed his mind based on results of a nonbinding referendum a few days earlier - "I think, clearly, the voters have spoken" - when 60.8 percent of voters rejected a needle program.

Now, Williams said, he is motivated by a desire to limit the spread of disease and save lives. The discussion yesterday came in a meeting of the council's Civil Rights and Race Relations Committee, of which Williams is chairman.

Among those attending were needle-exchange supporters and Helen R. Caulton-Harris, director of the Health and Human Services Department. Williams said among the steps his committee will take preceding the filing of a proposal are a tour of a needle-exchange program in Hartford or Northampton.

While proponents say offering clean needles to sharing users reduces disease and death, opponents, among them Mayor Charles V. Ryan, say the practice promotes drug use.

Herschelle Reaves of Springfield and Jon E. Zibbell of Amherst, who said they are with the group Springfield Users Council, said they are recovering drug addicts and urged passage of a needle-exchange program.

"This is about health," Reaves said.

Caulton-Harris said needle exchange can be helpful, but only as part of a comprehensive health program targeting drug abuse and AIDS education.

"We shouldn't see needle exchange by itself as a panacea to solve the HIV problem in the city of Springfield," she said.

Jane Hetzel, a nurse and president of the Forest Park Civic Association, said the city should be enjoying the benefits of needle exchange by now.

"As a nurse who's taken care of children, I can't believe we're still talking about this," she said.