Needle Exchange for Drug Users

Re “Riordan Declares AIDS Emergency in L.A.,” Sept. 7:

As a physician who cares for youth infected with HIV and chairman of the Adolescent HIV Consortium (a coalition of over 80 community youth service agencies in Los Angeles County), I would like to applaud the leadership of Mayor Richard Riordan, Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg as well as the rest of the City Council. Their support for needle exchange demonstrates their willingness to act quickly in a crisis to ensure better health for our community.

AIDS is continuing to spread rapidly to youth. Approximately 20% of my youth infected with HIV have histories of sharing needles. One-third of the homeless youth I provide care to also report injecting drugs. Many of these youth express an unwillingness to begin drug treatment but readily accept the usage of clean needles. The Clean Needles Now program in Hollywood has undoubtedly saved lives by providing clean needles to my patients. In addition, they frequently refer youth to my clinics for HIV testing, medical and psychosocial services. This facilitates the provision of HIV-prevention education as well as drug treatment.

The need to expand needle exchange to other areas of Los Angeles is still critical. Public education needs to be expanded to these communities to reassure the public that research has conclusively demonstrated that needle exchange does not promote the increased usage of drugs. MARVIN BELZER MD

Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Medicine, USC

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* Mayor Riordan’s declaration of an emergency to prevent the police from issuing citations for the illegal needle exchange program is irrational and destructive.

There is nothing to stop the needles handed out from becoming contaminated and shared like those they replace. Since the life expectancy of an IV drug abuser is half that of a person infected with HIV, supporters of such programs cannot claim to be saving lives. In fact, they are enabling addiction. Only the dope lords and social workers benefit from needle handouts.

Police Chief Willie Williams should reject this monstrous idea and protect our citizens, including those addicted to drugs, from its harmful consequences.

DAVID PARKER

Agoura Hills