Sask Government Getting The Point

Finally, finally, finally. The Saskatchewan government is getting the point on the number of needles being distributed to drug users in the province, primarily in Saskatoon and Regina.
For those who don't know the program is called a needle exchange. Drug users are supposed to bring their dirty needles in
and exchange them for a clean one. Unfortunately in Saskatchewan that doesn't happen. Needles are handed out by the bucketful and many of them, well over 100,000 end up in playgrounds and parks where children are exposed to them.
As well many of these needles are taken by drug pushers loaded and then sold to addicts. Talk about a government assistance plan.
In his throne speech yesterday, Premier Brad Wall revealed his concerns about both the numbers of needles exchanged and distributed.
Wall also said that with 10% of used needles not being returned for safe disposal, this is a matter of public safety.
“100,000 needles are out there for what purpose?” said Wall. “Are they pre-loaded and available on the streets? I don’t know. Is that as good as it gets? Maybe, but we should be trying better - considering each one of those needles is a potential loaded gun,” he said.
Of course the NDP is upset about this. The groups that hand out the needles are upset but the fact remains Saskatchewan hands out nearly four times the number of needles that Calgary and Edmonton to combined. AIDS Saskatoon issued a news release late Wednesday, expressing disappointment with the government plan. Restricting access to new, clean needles is "a recipe for disaster" that will increase exposure to the hepatitis C virus and HIV, the agency said.
Nicole White, the executive director, said Wall does not fully understand how the needle exchange program works.
The problem is of course, most of us do understand how the needle exchange program work. We also understand that its
programs like this that keep these help group workers employed and naturally they will resist any changes.
Why does Saskatchewan hand out more needles than any other province? Why do give out more than the cities of Edmonton and Calgary combined?
We never do get any answers to these questions other than they must do it or disease will spread. That has worked for awhile but finally and not soon enough it may no longer work.
The government must cut back on this aiding and abetting program and cut back despite all the howls of protest.
Perhaps what is needed is a way of identifying the needles so we know which ones come from the government and which ones the addicts obtain by their own means. I'm betting the government needles will win hands down.