The Best Anti-AIDS Tool Ever : Communication is crucial, as flap over needle giveaway showed

There’s no doubt that dirty needles spread AIDS, and that state, local and county health officials must do all they can to get used needles out of circulation to help stop the spread of the deadly virus. But in order for the fight against AIDS to be successful, it must be inclusive. That’s a lesson that everyone should keep in mind.

Last June a group of AIDS activists from the group ACT-UP LA began handing out free hypodermic syringes to heroin addicts in South-Central Los Angeles. They were confronted by a group of angry community leaders.

This confrontation--evidence of a culture and values clash between primarily white gay activists and black and Latino activists who hold, most likely, more traditional social views--could have been avoided. Did the ACT-UP committee consider how African-American and Latino residents would react to the sight of outsiders going into South-Central, handing out hypodermic syringes to black and brown addicts? It didn’t sell well at all to people who worry that a needle exchange merely encourages drug abuse, and the confrontation may have undermined support for taking the action necessary to fight the drug-related transmission of HIV.

Thus communication, respect and cooperation is important now as many AIDS and health activists look to begin more of the controversial needle exchange programs in Los Angeles. State legislation that deserves Gov. Pete Wilson’s signature, SB 1418, would set up a pilot needle exchange program, to begin in San Francisco.

It would authorize pharmacists, physicians and other authorized persons to furnish hypodermic needles and syringes without a prescription. The legislation would provide that if the pilot project was found to encourage drug use and increase the spread of HIV, the project would be terminated; in any case the project is due to end Jan. 1, 1996.

The pilot project is just one way to begin to address how to stem the spread of HIV. There’s also a need for more frank talk and understanding between all people who want to rid the world of AIDS.