Considering that drug related problems continue to perplex and frustrate communities across the UK and the rest of the world; it was not only inevitable, but also imperative that some form of answer was provided to the problem, and thus as described on the right of the page, the Harm Reduction Movement was born.
Needle
exchange programmess emerged as a way to address rapidly increasing rates
of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other infections
among injection drug users
In
the summer of 1984, the Amsterdam Junkiebond, a drug-users advocacy group,
began exchanging needles and syringes with support from the Municipal
Health Service. Although Dutch law permits over-the-counter sales of needles
and syringes, members of the Junkiebond became concerned that a decision
by a pharmacist in inner-city Amsterdam not to sell syringes to injecting
drug users would result in an outbreak of hepatitis B.
One
of the program's objectives was harm reduction. This approach recognizes
that many drug users fail to abstain totally, and it tries to reduce the
risk that injecting drug users pose to themselves and others.
A
second objective was to provide anonymous, accessible service, which has
become part of a low-threshold approach.
Syringe and needle exchange schemes aim to increase the availability of
sterile injecting equipment and the removal of contaminated syringes.
Some of them also refer injecting drug users to appropriate services and
may also provide information and advice on safer sex.
Syringe and needles exchange schemes have also been shown to be cost effective.
By preventing infections among programme users, their sex partners and
their children, and by avoiding the lifetime costs associated with the
treatment and care of such infections, exchange schemes can enable health
authorities to make important budgetary savings.
