Taking It to the Streets : Anti-AIDS program deserves support from the county board

The typical image of an intravenous drug user is a shivering addict in a dark corner in urban America. But here in sprawling Los Angeles, I.V. drug users are found in all corners, in suburbia as well as on Skid Row. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors should take a crucial step today to save the lives of I.V. drug users, as well as curbing the spread of the deadly AIDS virus.

The board is expected to vote today to approve the distribution of bleach to sterilize hypodermic needles and of condoms to drug addicts in order to fight the spread of AIDS. If it approves the program proposed by Supervisor Ed Edelman, it will not only save lives, it could usher in an era of good relations between the county and health advocates who have long been at odds over local health policy. A vote in support of the bleach and condom program, after years of county opposition, would also send a powerful signal that the board, with the addition of Gloria Molina, will be more responsive to the health needs of all county residents.

In the past some board members expressed discomfort with any program perceived as encouraging drug abuse. Advocates of the bleach and condom program were erroneously seen as people fighting for the right of people to continue abusing drugs instead of people fighting to curb the spread of a deadly disease.

In the meantime, drug abuse and the spread of AIDS have continued, and the connection is unmistakable. Without the distribution of bleach kits and condoms, addicts are unlikely to protect themselves and others from AIDS. When government adequately funds bleach and condom distribution--as well as treatment programs for addicts who want to stop drugs--society will be freer to pursue the fundamental question of why so many Americans abuse drugs in the first place. The board should lead Los Angeles in that journey, starting today.

DRUG-RELATED AIDS CASES

Intravenous drug cases reported in Los Angeles County for the 12 months ended February 28. 1989: 772 1990: 1,049 1991: 1,324 Source: L.A. County Dept. of Health Services