5 Tips for Running Program That Exchanges Needles

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

5 Tips for Running Program That Exchanges Needles

AIDS Alert (12/95) Vol. 10, No. 12, P. 149

Although it seems unlikely that the federal government will act on recommendations to fund needle exchange programs (NEPs), individuals can still work for state and local efforts, according to Prof. Peter Lurie of the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at the University of California in San Francisco. Lurie, an author of a critical 1993 report on NEPs, believes there is a compelling reason for this. "The feds are playing politics, and people are dying," he notes. For people who want to start an NEP in their community, Lurie offers several suggestions on how to get started. He suggests that advocates should first try to obtain input and support from all potentially affected areas, including businesses, residents, and law enforcement agencies. "People need to be involved from the earliest phase," he explains. "That way, they can feel a sense of ownership." Lurie recommends that advocates should also attempt to become exempt from anti-NEP laws. Next, he advises consulting drug users--the target audience--to maximize participation. Furthermore, the emphasis of the NEP should be distributing syringes--such extras as drug treatment referrals should be considered optional, Lurie claims. Finally, one must determine whether community activists or the local health department is better equipped to deal with the program. Either way, Lurie notes, it is critical that whoever is in charge forge a trusting relationship with the drug-using community.

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