The main purpose of needle exchange programs are based on that idea that access to sterile needles will significantly reduce needle sharing and will in turn reduce HIV transmission. It is also believed that implementing needle exchange programs will allow more opportunities for other forms of HIV prevention education to come about and increase people’s access to HIV treatment services. These exchange programs have opened up plenty of things that work to help reduce the spreading HIV such as the use of condoms, bleach kits, and giving people referrals. These programs came about because there is the growing knowledge that people who are not ready for drug treatment and who use many different types of drugs through the use of needles, is causing more and more people to get infected with HIV and is not helping the programs that are used to reduce the spread of HIV. Needle Exchange programs offer free new sterile needles in exchange for old used ones that are collected from injection drug users (Health News).
Two main arguments for needle exchange programs include that the needle exchange would help prevent the spread of disease and that they are key to fighting HIV and in turn saving lives. Since, the needle exchange programs don’t really force people to get off the substance they are abusing, a lot of users will actually choose to do the treatment programs on their own because they don’t feel pressured into doing so. Not only do the needle exchange programs supply sterile needles they also supply counseling and therapy for those that not only want some help in the guidance of getting off their substance, but mental and life assistance to help them to reestablish their lives. By doing so the previously addicted can reestablish relat...
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...e or social group for being an addict if it is not fully understood that they are trying to recover from their addiction (Methadone Cons).
After considering both parts of the issues I am all for methadone treatment and am about 50% on board for the needle exchange. For example, the needle exchange benefits people who get pierced benefit because the piercers must also use sterile needles even if this is not for drug use. But, at the same time needle exchange doesn’t necessarily reduce the spread of HIV and in the long run I don’t think that it’s worth it to showcase needle exchange as the top preventer of the transmittance of HIV. I am all for methadone treatment because of the fact that opiates are extremely hard to get off and at least this way it is proven that the addicts can at least try to assimilate themselves back into normal living if that is their wish.
By providing clean needles to drug addicts, are we causing another issue such as increased drug
Perhaps one of the most pressing concerns is health and the assumption that to a certain degree criminalization is justified by preserving health. Illicit drugs are, in reality, not as hazardous to public health as accustomed views present- particularly in relation to certain recreational activities that are legal. Of the 25,000 illegal drug use-induced fatalities the National Institute on Drug Abuse has brought to light, the majority is more correctly due to drug prohibition than consumption. Also, some 14,300 of the casualties are a result of diseases like AIDS, transferred (generally) because of contaminated drug injection needles. Needle exchange programs for sterile needles are encouraged by the World Health Organization, amongst many other international organizations, as it is considered as possibly the greatest innovation for the health improvement of users. However, the federal government disallows the appropriation of its funds to these programs because the possession and sale of syringes still remain largely illegal. Furthermore, - as I explain later on- between the sellers and producers, there is no real confidence in the contents and hence, dangerousness of a given street drug. Considering the already growing level of consumption, imagine the gains of, for example, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) supervising illicit drugs, parallel to their work on food and
Semaan, S., Fleming, P., Worrell, C., Stolp, H., Baack, B., & Miller, M. (2011). Potential role of safer injection facilities in reducing HIV and Hepatitis C infections and overdose mortality in the United States. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 118, 100-110.
Supports believe that these programs can reduce transmission and encourage substance abusers to seek treatment (Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly, 2015). Some needle exchange programs help people find the road to recovery. Drug users find it easier to enter rehabilitation centers through the help of these programs because of both the trusting relationships the build with the people at the programs, and the fact that the programs know the rehabilitation system well and can find them a good program.
However, these disadvantages are not without criticism, with many suggesting that their ought to be differing terminology, with ‘reduction of harm’ referring to anything that reduces the harm of drug use, and ‘harm reduction’ referring to “specific measures which prevent the baleful consequences of drug use without setting out to achieve this by interfering with drug consumption” (Wodak and Saunders, 1995: 269). Furthermore is the debate as to whether ‘harm reduction’ refers to policies and official programmes designed to reduce the negative effects of drug consumption, such as needle exchange, or whether it can be considered to encompass other aspects of reduction of harm, such as the influence of peers. The risk when introducing broader definitions is then being able to differentiate between
To conclude, although the main goal of the Needle exchange programs is to reduce the transmissions of HIV and other diseases, they still fail to help the drug addicts they intended to serve and prevent any injuries in community. In fact, they encourage them to use more drugs, which could lead to overdose and death. Therefore, Needle exchange programs should be abolished.
In Australia the Government uses three methods to tackle drugs; Demand reduction, supply reduction and harm minimization. Needle and syringe programs are under harm minimization category. Supply reduction is focused on drug dealers and drug makers and is brought about by law enforcement. In the Demand reduction method it is tried to decrease the number of people taking drugs through anti-drug advertisements and campaigns, legislation, rehabilitation centers. On the other hand harm minimization recognizes the fact that drugs can never be eradicated fro...
However, rather than treating an addiction like a disease, society treats addiction by stigmatizing the person like a failure, and criminal. Those who suffer with this disease, both the addict, and their friends and family, are usually isolated by judgment and embarrassment from others, who are unaware and ignorant to the issue. As a result, the disease sadly often goes unrecognized and untreated, especially among the poor, and those who are unable to get proper treatment. Once again, I am very happy after attending my second meeting, and it has an overall great experience. I wish more people were open to meetings to see how great and beneficial they are to all kinds of people, and this summer that is my goal to open others up to attending meetings that could help benefit
Strathdee, S.A., (2000). Trends in crime and the introduction of a needle exchange program. American Journal of Public Health, 90(12), 1933-1936. Retrieved from PsycINFO.
Dealing with everyday stresses can be overwhelming for most people, all the more for recovering addicts. If you don’t have access to a support group who can help you manage these feelings in a positive way, you may be pushed to find social connections and coping mechanisms in other avenues. You may seek old relationships or habits that reawaken tempting behaviors.
During the rehab process, patients receive much more than therapy and counselling. They learn a lot about addiction and what it takes to stay on the path of recovery. In many cases, they also learn the value of having one or more support groups. For many years now, counselors have placed a great deal of value on promoting the idea of "one addict helping another addict." In fact, who would know more about the recovery process than someone who has successfully lived it?
This leads to the second school of thought on medically assisted treatment. There has been a great deal of debate about the medication used to treat Opiate addiction, methadone. Many feel that the drug methadone is simply trading one drug in for another, as the addiction to methadone is quick and almost more powerful than an opiate addiction (Nelson, 1994). The withdrawals effects are far more intense with methadone and for this reason it is a lifetime maintenance medication. Some suggest that more rehabilitative programs are needed that would address the social problems the users have to help them recover, instead of the methadone program that is viewed...
Many people believe that the only way to receive HIV and AIDS is through sexual intercourse. Although it can be spread through sexual intercourse without proper protection, there is a bigger issue at hand. Not only can HIV and AIDS be transferred through sex, it can be transferred through the sharing of needles. A large number of people forget that drugs are becoming a popular trend in today’s society. The spread of HIV and AIDS has increased because of the sharing of needles between drug users.Not only is it an STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) it is a bloodborne pathogen. This is why needle exchange programs are a must have in communities like Licking County, today. Needle exchange programs are extremely helpful because it decreases the spread of HIV and AIDS.
Alexander explains that in Canada there has been three major waves of drug intervention, the ‘“harm reduction’ techniques” (225) being the most resent consisted of: clean injectable heroin, clean needles, methadone, and housing. Although, each of the methods are devoted and knowledgeable they have done little to decreased the deaths or supress the unhappiness. While clean heroin did work well few addicts quit using and many found the conditions of reserving the drugs to be repulsive. Yet another method is legalization which is nothing new and will do little to help.
Yet, Hassan Hashemi, Iran’s Minister of Health has stated, “Today people in Iran are frightened of AIDS because of misinformation and unscientific claims. This is why it remains a taboo.” This has led to an increase in the number of people affected by HIV/AIDS in the past 11 years with an 80 percent increase every year. With such a large taboo this had many infected with the virus keep to themselves and have limited contact with the outside world. However, the 2008 report on the global AIDS epidemic stated that Iran’s Needle Exchange Program, which is offered for those of low income to exchange needles to help stop the spread of such melodious diseases and viruses, is a courageous and visionary example in the battle against AIDS. Despite this for many Iranians drug addiction is the first response towards depression when confronted with problems they don’t know how to face. With 1-2 million out of its 70 million inhabitants addicted to narcotics the government of Iran has seemingly put drug abuse high on its list of things to take care of and with good