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A needle exchange program would only encourage more people to use drugs, in my opinion, and many would still share needles or reuse needles even if there was a program.

Giving needles out for addicts to prevent the spread of disease, will only encourage them and others to do drugs more often. It may even encourage people who have never tried certain types of drugs, to try them because now they will get their needles for free. Do we really want to encourage this type of behavior? I wouldn't think so.

By giving needles to addicts, we are also taking away from other programs that are already low on funding. The money for needle exchange would take away from Medicare programs that are there to help the elderly and disabled. There have already been enough Medicare cuts without the extra cuts this would bring about.

Then you also have the problem of some who will not use the needles and will keep reusing the needles they already have. Most addicts are too far gone to worry about whether they reuse a needle or not, and many do not care about their chances of catching an infectious disease.

In the early 1980's, insulin and allergy syringes could be bought in any drug store without a prescription, so addicts had no problem obtaining needles if they had the money. Even though they did not need a prescription, they still continued to reuse needles and share with others, helping lead to the AIDS epidemic. In the early 1990's, states started requiring that syringes be kept behind the counter in drugstores and requiring prescriptions for syringes were needed. This was a way to cut down on illegal drug use and reusing of needles. This was also an effort to stop the further epidemic of aids. It has not worked either, but the answer to the drug problem and the spread of diseases through used needles is not to furnish addicts tools with which to continue their illegal activities.

We must spend the money that the needle exchange program would cost in other areas to help stop the use of drugs altogether.

Learn more about this author, Martie Pistol.
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