Support Needle Exchange Programs to End the AIDS Crisis in Rural America
- by: Susan V
- recipient: Congressional Republicans
An unprecedented outbreak of the AIDS virus in a small Indiana community should serve as a warning to Congress - to take the necessary steps to prevent spread of the virus throughout the rest of rural America. This includes ending all opposition to syringe or needle exchange programs (SEPs)
Such programs help drug users avoid dirty needles that can spread infectious diseases and have thus been successful, as well as cost-effective, in preventing HIV infection, according to a Center for Disease Control report.
Visit http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5945a4.htm
Most of these “SEP” programs also help people with addiction problems find supportive treatments.
Although the current crisis is causing some conservative representatives to change their minds about opposing SEPs, in 2010 Republicans in Congress reinstated a long-standing ban on SEPs that the Obama administration had lifted the year before.
Drug addiction is a health condition that particularly plagues those who’ve suffered PTSD and brain injuries, which includes many veterans returning from active duty. As a public health issue that affects us all, this growing, multi-faceted problem needs to be properly addressed in ways that have been proven effective.
Ask all members of Congress to support funding for these syringe exchange programs.
We, the undersigned, say It’s time for conservatives in Congress to support a maneuver in the war on drugs that actually works.
Although Syringe Exchange Programs are endorsed by leading health organizations and many doctors, conservatives have often framed these programs as promoting drug use. This distorted perception and misunderstanding about the major causes of addiction has led to a counterproductive ban on SEPs receiving federal funding.
According to Aljazeera America, SEPs have been endorsed by “the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Institute of Medicine, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the World Health Organization. The CDC’s 2010 report also notes how cost-effective they are as well.
Even though there are SEPs in the US, not all states have them and some that do, like Georgia. have only one. That program’s director says it’s just wrong-thinking to assume that “the idea that giving out needles and helping people ultimately get into treatment can’t coexist.” In fact, these programs are developing the kind of trust that opens the door to many accepting treatment.
The Chicago Recovery Alliance, which has been in operation for many years, notes in its guidelines that:
The evidence collected worldwide, to date, about HIV harm reduction outreach with syringe exchange shows the following: Most injection drug users are not in treatment; Reaching these women and men is crucial to reducing the sexual and injection risks HIV poses for them, their partners, and their children; Operating a harm reduction outreach program with syringe exchange attracts injecting drug users to risk reduction, increases referral to treatment, and results in less HIV transmission; Syringe exchange programs significantly decrease the amount of discarded syringes in a community; and Syringe exchange programs have never been shown to increase drug use or cause other harm.
Visit http://www.anypositivechange.org/guideOP.pdf
Clearly the facts show that these Syringe Exchange Programs, when combined with other services and an attitude of respect and understanding of addiction, are an effective strategy to decreasing drug abuse. Furthermore this is not just about addressing addiction but an urgent need to curtail the spread of the HIV virus.
In order to help addicts get proper treatment and curtail the spread of HIV, we request that Congress remove all obstacles to funding these Syringe Exchange Programs.
By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service.
You can unsub at any time here.
Having problems signing this? Let us know.