Comments for 0 at http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com , comment 1 to 3 out of 3 comments http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:29:51 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/20080722142503/opinion/letters/all-drug-abusers-have-a-145personality-disorder-146.html#comment-9180 Both of you have great points. On top of everything they have just stated, a needle exchage does not provide just clean needles. From what I understand they have a trained professional that will come in and give women the much needed papsmire, they provide condoms for those who work the streets, and they provide information about dieases. What we also have to understand is it is not just the drug abusers who use these facilities, a person who has HIV and cannot afford to go to the hospital to get their shot is also a type of person who can use these facilities. Or a person who has dietbeaties and cannot afford the needles they need to take an incline shot. Expand your minds a little bit more to those who are below the poverty line and cannot afford some of the necessities they may need to live. - ccurle01 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:11:32 +0100 http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/20080722142503/opinion/letters/all-drug-abusers-have-a-145personality-disorder-146.html#comment-9178 I don't see why everyone is complaining so much because you are not going to be able to wave a magic wand and make it go away. Homelessness and drug addicts are in every community and if there was a solution it would have gone away years ago. It would be a huge mistake to get rid of the needle exchange. I would rather drug users use clean needles as well as have a place to safely dispose of the needles. Just think how littered our streets would be of needles without it. The main point of the needle exchange is to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS, like BDL stated. It could spread quickly too. Just think: the drug user shoots up with a dirty needle, contracts HIV, goes to the corner and prostitutes herself for more drugs, doesn't use a condom or it breaks, the john contracts HIV and takes it home to his wife/girlfriend/one night stand. Or passes it onto the next prostitute who then passes it onto the next john. Just a thought.... - SensGirl Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:04:40 +0100 http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/20080722142503/opinion/letters/all-drug-abusers-have-a-145personality-disorder-146.html#comment-9177 What is wrong with the equation is that Ms. Paterson completely leaves out and ignores the single most important reason for providing clean needles to those using them. It is primarily to control the spread of HIV/AIDS. Surely Ms. Paterson would not be in favour of increasing the incidence of HIV/AIDS in Prince George, would she? Providing clean, sterile needles ensures that those at risk of contracting this disease through shared needles are kept safe from it, and at minimal cost, too. Society does have a duty to do what it can to keep at-risk populations safe, that is why we have maternity programs, child vaccination programs, stop smoking programs, alcohol recovery programs etc, all at public expense. It is in societies self-interest to take care of these things at public expense in order to increase the protection and safety of society at large. Thus we have a needle exchange. How does it differ from those other things in intent and consequence. We are all a little safer because of it. - BDL Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:56:01 +0100