Pubdate: Wed, 10 Feb 2016
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Copyright: 2016 Hearst Communications Inc.
Contact: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/submissions/#1
Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388
Author: Tim Miller

SYRINGE SOLUTIONS

Thank you for your article in The Chronicle regarding "Coordinated 
effort to remove syringes" (Feb. 9). I hope you'll consider exploring 
this subject further, looking at the root causes of the incredible 
increase in improperly discarded needles. Where are all these 
thousands of needles coming from?

Why the exponential increase? How much is attributable to the 
disappearance of needle exchange programs and their replacement with 
needle giveaways? Is this policy right for San Francisco? What other 
cities have changed this policy? What differentiates successful 
implementations from unsuccessful? Even if exchange is not required, 
can we mandate that the giveaways accept used needles for disposal 
(apparently many do not)? We need to find a solution to the root of 
the problem. Cleanup is good, but it's just a BandAid.

Tim Miller, San Francisco
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom