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Myth: By offering free needles to drug addicts you are encouraging people to inject drugs, and will attract more drug users to the neighborhood.
Reality: None of the scientific studies which have examined the issues of needle exchangefound any increase in drug use in the community; there were no increases in the number of peopleinjecting drugs after needle exchange programs started. In addition, the needles are not free since an individual must turn in a dirty needle in order to receive a clean one.
Myth: By supporting needle exchange we are sending the wrong message, we are saying druguse is OK.
Reality: By supporting needle exchange, we are recognizing human frailty and offering an individual an opportunity to protect him/herself and loved ones from deadly diseases. By not supporting needle exchange, we send the message that certain strata of society should determine who is "worth" saving and who is not, by withholding a proven intervention.
Myth: There is no support for needle exchange programs.
Reality: Needle exchange legislation has had majority support in both the California House and Senate, three times and in three different years. The only reason Californians do not have access to needle exchange is Governor Wilson's veto. He vetoed the legislation three times.
Myth: By supporting needle exchange, we are supporting an illegal activity.
Reality: Nine counties in California have used public health laws which allow counties to take action deemed necessary by County Health Directors and their local City Councils or Boards of Supervisors to declare a local state of emergency. Under a state of emergency, needle exchange activities are permitted and there are currently 21 viable needle exchange programs in the State of California, and over 70 in the United States.
Myth: Needle exchange programs encourage injecting drug users to continue their use of drugs.
Reality: Many needle exchange programs have referral systems to get their clients into treatment when the client so desires. In fact, the needle exchange program in Tacoma, Washington, has been the largest source of referrals to drug treatment, providing over 30% of all drug treatment referrals in that County.
Myth: Needle exchange programs mean more dirty needles will be discarded in our neighborhoods.
Reality: Needle exchange programs have been found to have the opposite effect since injecting drug users need to turn in their dirty needles to get clean ones. Needle exchange programs make neighborhoods safer, because there are fewer used needles lying around.
Myth: San Diego has plenty of treatment facilities for those individuals who want to stop using drugs. We should encourage IDUs to stop using and enter treatment programs, rather than give them clean needles.
Reality: San Diego does not have enough treatment facilities to meet the needs of substance abusers. In San Diego County we have a minimum of 15,000 IDUs. But there are only 1,400 County-funded treatment slots available. A clean needle exchange program will keep an IDU and those close to him/her healthier until treatment space becomes available.
Myth: Needle exchange programs set up tables on the street and hand out needles to whoevergoes by. That is inappropriate and harmful to the values of the community.
Reality: The San Diego Clean Needle Exchange Program is very sensitive to community needs and prefers to work with community residents in designing a program which is acceptable to everyone. The exchanges are discreet and currently take place inside the homes of the injecting drug users.
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