Heroin is a growing problem in today’s society. Heroin is the cause of a lot of AID/HIV cases, heroin causes these diseases from transmitting blood by using the same needle to inject the heroin. The government should impose a tax on needles being used for drug use so the needle price increases, whereas at the same time the amount of heroin users decrease as does the risk of getting diseases such as AIDS or HIV. The Government should adopt needle exchange programs. When the government adopts needle exchange programs for heroin use, the users would not being sharing needles with other people as much and if there is sharing of needles the needle exchange program gives bleach packets to hopefully make sharing needles safer for the users …show more content…
When the government adopts needle exchange programs, People including drug users and non-drug users would have to start paying taxes for this program, this will then cause the price of needles to increase which would then cause heroin itself to increase. Many people might believe that adopting needle exchange programs would lead to a larger population of heroin users which is in fact false. In San Francisco a needle exchange program was adopted in December 1986 through June 1992 the injection frequency among injecting drug users (IDUs) decreased from 1.9 injections per day to .7 and the “percent of new initiates into injection drug use decreased from 3% to 1%” (National Research Council. Paragraph 14). “In the United States, an estimated 929,646 people are living with HIV/AIDS” and 11% of those cases are caused by injecting drug …show more content…
Paragraph 19). According to “Does HIV Needle Exchange Work” “The median annual budget for running a program was $169,000 in 1992. Mathematical models based on those data predict that needle exchanges could prevent HIV infections among clients, their sex partners, and offspring at a cost of about $9,400 per infection averted. This is far below the $195,188 lifetime cost of treating an HIV-infected person at present. A national program of NEPs would have saved up to 10,000 lives by 1995” (Does HIV Needle Exchange work. Paragraph 14). I believe that needle exchange programs are very cost effective even if the people are mad about having to pay taxes, they are helping to save lives. In order for this problem to not be as big of a problem, there needs to be a broader expansion of needle exchange programs. In today’s society heroin is expanding into a larger issue by the day. Heroin use is such a big problem mainly because it is so cheap and addictive. People are taking advantage of such a cheap drug which really is not cheap when a person's life is at risk. According to Drug Related Hospital Emergency Room Visits “in 2009 there were nearly 4.6 million drug related ED visits nationwide” when there is this many hospital visits due to such a cheap
On the other hand, people who are against of needle exchange programs claim that the needle exchange programs don’t save lives but instead it can cause drug-related deaths. Even though NEPs help reduce the transmission of HIV and other diseases, they still encourage people to use more drugs, which could lead to death. Addicts are prone to death, perhaps not from HIV, but from overdosed, collapsed veins, poisoned dope, or the violence and criminality that go along with the illicit drug trade. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are more than 33,000 people who died from drug overdose in 2005. As a result, drug overdose become the second
However, this step isn't necessarily to cure the epidemic, but rather to keep it from becoming more catastrophic. This drug is not to be used as away of getting people to stop using opioids in anyway, but rather just keep them from dieing when they do use opioids. Then those who have overdosed can go get help from the types of programs previously mentioned. This is the most important step because it needs to be put into action immediately. If this step takes as long as predicted then the epidemic will only be getting worse and far too many lives will be taken away yet again by opioids. Although, “While DuPage County is the only county currently using intranasal naloxone, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will Counties are set to implement plans to use both forms of naloxone in the coming months” (Kirk launches suburban anti-heroin task force 1 death every 3 days on average since 2012; using narcan during an overdose was 100% effective in Dupage County, States News
An increase in drug use, specifically opiates, has overwhelmed the United States. This behavior has led to a rise in the transmission of HIV/Hepatitis C which would be otherwise preventable. The needle exchange programs in Moorhead, Milwaukee, and Scott County are working to lower the transmission rate and increase participation in treatment programs.
As the number of intravenous drug users continues to rise, so does the risk of dangerous and potentially fatal complications that are associated with illicit drug use. In this population, death rates are higher due to overdose, AIDs-related mortality, and other blood-borne viruses (Mathers et al., 2013). Mortality rates remain high even though precautions have been taken to reduce them. According to Lavender & McCarron (2013), “Mortality in injecting drug users is up to 22 times higher than for the age-adjusted population, despite increased provision of needle and syringe programs, reduced needle and syringe sharing, and higher uptake of hepatitis B vaccination” (p. 511).
A huge epidemic that is obtaining a lot of attention from Congress and medical professionals across the county is the spiking heroin overdoses that are rising at alarming rates. (Krisberg, 2014). My question to everyone that is researching this topic is this:
Several studies have shown that injection drug users lower their risk of transmitting infectious diseases when there is a needle exchange program available. There has not been a valid study of whether or not the amounts of time needles are returned to the exchange programs are harmful to communities. The Journal of Public Health, conducted surveys, evidence from needle exchange sites, jails, and institutions that needle exchange programs are effective in reducing illnesses such as HIV and AIDS (Burt & Theide, 2016). Furthermore, Reepalu, Blome, Bjork, Widell, & Bjorkman (2012), researched the same individuals for 20 years, with no breaks. Their studies concluded that injection drug use, not only heightens the risk for HIV and AID’s, there is also an increase in Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. However, there studies showed that there is not an increase rate of cancer diagnoses due to injection drug use. In a study conducted by Bonar and Rosenberg (2014), they wanted to see if self-initiated harm strategies, such as: proper needle sterilization techniques, proper disposal of needles, and cleaning of the pre injected skin, could help improve the health of those that use drugs intravenously. Their study was conducted over an eight-month period, results showed that their
Although these clients will still be abusing illegal substances, Sheon (2004) indicated that any reduction of harm is a step in the right direction, and the amount of success is measured by the client’s quality of life and well-being (as cited in Brown et al., 2005). “Harm reduction is about being respectful in somebody else’s world” (Georgina Perry, Service manager and co-author, England as cited in Cusick et al., 2010). By not respecting somebody else’s choices, the clients feel they must lie about their unhealthy lifestyles, which prevents the clients from getting assistance because they were trying to protect themselves from the real situation (Georgina Perry, Service manager and co-author, England as cited in Cusick et al., 2010). A way to reduce the harm from illegal substance abuse is clean needle exchange, and teaching clients how to properly inject themselves (Brown et al., 2005). The needle exchange is a program where clients exchange their used needles for clean ones, which helps reduce the spread of diseases such as HIV/AIDS (Brown et al., 2005). With continuation of these programs the harm from abusing illegal substances is reduced and the spread of life threatening diseases, such as HIV,
Imagine for a moment being able to walk down the street without seeing used needles or other drug equipment. Although it will not completely eradicate the problem, safe injection sites will allow users to have a safe and clean environment that they do not have access to now; not just to inject their drugs, but also to dispose of their used syringes. When given a 3-year trial at the first facility in Canada, it was found that fatal overdoses within 500 metres of the facility were reduced by 35 percent, and a 9 percent decrease in the rest of the city (Stueck, 2011). Thus proving the effectiveness of injection facilities not only in Vancouver, but nationwide. Giving access to support can significantly increase the quality of life for intravenous drug users. By providing sterile equipment the
In conclusion, methadone clinics and needle exchange programs have many stigmas linked to them due to the biases that have been associated with these programs in the past. The programs are trying to create ways to encourage more drug users to use the programs available especially the needle exchange program for those who inject
If needle exchange programs will be banned in United States than it will cause even greater stigma towards needle sharing practices. Even today, in the 21st century due restriction policies and laws against publically available injecting equipment, most people developed a negative attitude towards a needle exchange programs. As was mentioned by Dr. Epidemiol, most of the time individuals that engage in needle sharing practices would not report the fact of needle sharing , even if it indeed occurred. Less drug users would report it because most people feel stigmatized if they tell in public about the act of needle sharing.
Illicit drugs in general are a major problem worldwide, more specifically IV drugs. Adopting needle exchange programs is a good way to reduce IV drug addiction and effects. Not only do drugs become addicting, but they ruin you and your loved ones lives and needle exchange programs can help reduce this problem. Needle exchange programs exchange dirty, used needles and syringes for clean ones, and have additional services: helps get homeless people off the street, rehab options, and mental health services. Even though they give out clean needles and syringes, they do not support drug use and do not allow you to use them on site. Needle exchange programs
Today, experts in public health policy have been advocated for harm reduction, which is a philosophy that attempts to reduce the negative outcomes of drug use. Safe injection sites (SISs) follow this ideology. They are facilities where addicts are legally able to use opioids, such as heroin, under medical supervision. To stop reusing and sharing of needles, Opioid users will be given access to clean needles, which will prevent hospitalizations from serious infections and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Furthermore, opioid addicts will have a clean space and will not fear being arrested by the police. This will eliminate additional anxiety and stress. Advocates for SISs believe that SISs will reduce public drug use and provide a safe space for addicts to consume illicit drugs. They have been successful in many developed countries. In many studies, it has been shown that SISs save taxpayers money and reduce the number of opioid-related deaths.
The well rated Durham Police force is introducing a plan to distribute Class A drugs, Heroin, to long time users. The hope is by providing the drugs and a safe way and place for them to be used, it will reduce crime by eliminating the externalities that comes with addicts trying to gain possession and using the drugs including crimes and other adverse
Needle exchange programs have long been a controversial subject with both the general population and government lawmakers. The primary objective for needle exchange programs (NEPs) is to prevent the spread of blood-borne disease and is very successful in doing so. But, issues of morality due to the perception of drug enablement and the stigma of intravenous drug users (IDUs) and their potential effects on the decline of society are continually used as arguments for those against NEPs. It has been proven through many studies that these programs not only reduce harms associated with intravenous drug use, they are also cost effective and reduce the circulation of used syringes to the general population. Beyond epidemiological efforts, NEPs also provide a de-stigmatized center for gathering and offers health services such as HIV testing, counselling and referrals to treatment for drug addiction. This paper aims to highlight the efficacy of needle exchange programs, safe injection sites and address the social and political issues associated with them.
In the US, according to CQ Researcher, the number of those that used heroin had more than doubled between the years of 2002 and 2004 and doubled again between 2011 and 2013. It is a growing issue especially due to