via The Springfield Republican

Editorial
Needle plan wins backing
Thursday, March 03, 2005
By MIKE PLAISANCE

SPRINGFIELD - The city's Public Health Council voted 7-4 last night to recommend the mayor and City Council approve the adoption of a needle- exchange program. The vote of the council, which advises and is appointed by the mayor, followed an hour-long discussion that included comments from one proponent of needle exchange and two opponents.

Needle exchange is the process of providing clean intravenous drug needles to users in exchange for used, or dirty, needles. Supporters said the process can save lives by getting infected needles off the street and reducing the spread of blood-borne diseases such as HIV-AIDS and hepatitis C.

"It's proven to significantly reduce HIV rates," said Jon E. Zibbell of Leverett, of the Springfield Users Council. ...

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via The New York Times

Editorial
Ideology and AIDS
February 26, 2005

The Bush administration has contributed to suffering and death through the so-called global gag rule, which prohibits Washington from giving money to any group that performs - or even talks about - abortions. Organizations that provide desperately needed family planning and women's health services have lost their financing. Now there are moves in Congress and inside the administration to apply a similar rule to needle exchange programs. That would be an even more deadly mistake. ...

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via The Washington File

02/24/2005
White House Issues 2005 National Drug Control Strategy Report (Main goals are curbing drug use, disrupting drug trade)
By Lauren Monsen
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- The Bush administration is pursuing an aggressive three-pronged strategy to combat the problem of illegal drug use in the United States, says the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). With the February release of its annual report, "The President's National Drug Control Strategy," the ONDCP outlined an approach designed to meet three essential goals: to stop drug use before it begins, to get drug addicts into treatment programs, and to disrupt the illegal drug trade. ...

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via The Kaiser Network

Bush Administration To Require U.S. AIDS Groups Take Pledge Opposing Commercial Sex Work To Gain Funding
[Feb 28, 2005]

The Bush administration is requiring that U.S. HIV/AIDS organizations seeking funding to provide services in other countries make a pledge opposing commercial sex work, and some Republican lawmakers and administration officials are pushing for a similar policy for needle-exchange programs, the Wall Street Journal reports. Under the new policy, even groups whose HIV/AIDS work in other countries has "nothing to do" with commercial sex workers will have to make a written pledge opposing commercial sex work or risk losing federal funding, according to the Journal. In addition, the Bush administration might refuse to fund HIV/AIDS groups that do not accept Bush's "social agenda" on issues such as sexual abstinence and drug use, according to the Journal. ...

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via DrugSense

Letter sent today by Prof Gerry Stimson (Exec Dir of IHRA) and other NGO's to Antonio Maria Costa Director of UNODC

Dear Mr. Costa:

We are writing to seek your assurance that the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) will remain faithful to its obligation to promote all effective measures to reduce HIV vulnerability among drug users. The enclosed letter, signed by 334 organizations and individuals in 56 countries, attests to the gravity of international concern surrounding an apparent shift in UNODC's commitment to syringe exchange and other measures to prevent HIV/AIDS. We would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with you to clarify UNODC's commitment to syringe exchange and other measures to reduce adverse health consequences associated with injecting drugs. ...

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