Needle exchange? Yeah right...

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by buttless

It does not matter what the intent is, what matters is the result. As stated previously, all they do is take the risk from a very small segment of the downtown population and spread out to the rest of this population. Even when this is brought to the attention of the organizations there is no change.

I spend 3 days a week going out to clean up these shooting galleries on my own time. Collecting dirty needles, placing them into sharps containers and delivering them to Good Samaritan Hospital for disposal.

I started doing this after dealing with a needle-stick at work. Do you have any idea what 6 months of HIV testing is like. The testing itself is no big deal but 6 months of not knowing tears you apart.

Do not for one minute tell me how previous deeds has any bearing what is being done now. Until you have lived and worked with this going on around you.

Damn Liberals.

Intent does matter. The intent of needle exchange and free condom programs is not
for the convenience of drug users or to keep the streets clean or to make you a happier person.

These are public health programs intended to prevent the spread of HIV, hepatitis, etc...
first within the population of drug users (needles) and the gay population (condoms),
then among their families and friends, then among the public at large

If you don't believe previous deeds have any bearing on your life, it's a pity...
someday you may owe your own life to the "damn liberals" that went before you.
Many people have already even when they don't realize it.

But in the meantime, good on you for trying to do something to help.
Who knows, you may have already saved the life of someone else,
or at least prevented them getting an infection from the needles you removed.
But be careful lest you be called a " Damn Do-Gooder"

Peace.