San Francisco Considers Nation's First Safe Injection Site for Addicts

[Jeana (DP)]

Let's get back on topic, please.

 

[Buzz Mills]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,303425,00.html
San Francisco Considers Nation's First Safe Injection Site for Addicts
Thursday, October 18, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO — City health officials took the first tentative steps toward opening America's first legal safe-injection room, where addicts could shoot up heroin, cocaine and other drugs under the supervision of nurses.
Hoping to reduce San Francisco's high rate of fatal drug overdoses, the public health department co-sponsored a symposium Thursday on the only such facility in North America, a 4-year-old Vancouver site where an estimated 700 intravenous users a day self-administer narcotics.
Hundreds of community activists and health workers attending the forum also discussed what it would take to get a similar service going here and heard recovering addicts talk about why they think it is a good idea.
Organizers of the daylong forum, which included a coalition of nonprofit health and social-service groups, acknowledge that it could take years to get an injection facility up and running. Along with legal hurdles at the state and federal level, such an effort would be almost sure to face political opposition. (more at link)

See Topic Above

 

[Details]

The thing I like about the 'safe site' is that then we don't have to give the addicts needles. The nurses can do it, and that means that they can't take the needles and sell them, and still use dirty ones for themselves, and that means their dirty needles don't get discarded where other people might encounter them.

I'm not very soft on addicts - but the problem is that they mix with the rest of us, and when they do that, their diseases become our problems. So clean needles is important. One addict and a slightly sleazy girlfriend have sex - she gets aids. Slightly sleazy girlfriend sleeps with high school kid making a mistake - he gets aids. He doesn't tell his girlfriend, and she gets aids. Keep the addict healthy, and we have 4 fewer people with AIDS.

 

[Buzz Mills]

The thing I like about the 'safe site' is that then we don't have to give the addicts needles. The nurses can do it, and that means that they can't take the needles and sell them, and still use dirty ones for themselves, and that means their dirty needles don't get discarded where other people might encounter them.

I'm not very soft on addicts - but the problem is that they mix with the rest of us, and when they do that, their diseases become our problems. So clean needles is important. One addict and a slightly sleazy girlfriend have sex - she gets aids. Slightly sleazy girlfriend sleeps with high school kid making a mistake - he gets aids. He doesn't tell his girlfriend, and she gets aids. Keep the addict healthy, and we have 4 fewer people with AIDS.

All good points Details. I'll have to say this about Mayor Gavin Newsome, when he decides on something, he gets it done pdq..

 

[Peter Hamilton]

I think the idea is to keep addicts alive long enough that they can be helped.

Nice idea but I have a better one--Bring them all in at once and then tell them WE WERE JUST KIDDING--Then take all of them and lock them all up in separate cells and let them go thru their own cold turkey, convulsing and throwing up until they are clean of any and all drugs--lol--anyway,lets face facts: Drug Addicts who "shoot up" are the lowest form of scum around---They are all lowlifes and they help spread the deadly disease AIDS, and AIDS killed 16,000 people last year and over 500,000 people have died horrible deaths from it in the last 25 years in the US alone--no sympathy for needle drug addicts, people who don't care about themselves or anybody else and are a danger to society

 

[Taximom]

I get slightly irritated thinking that someone is going to be paying these nurses to watch over these fools injecting themselves with illegal substances when my school district can't or won't pay for a school nurse to be in every school because of "lack of funds".

Of course, I don't know what they do in SF's schools, but I hope this idea doesn't make it to Cleveland.

We just have the wrong priorities in this world.

 

[Peter Hamilton]

Yeah, 'cause they actually try to find solutions to problems rather than sit around on their butts taking pot shots at anyone who dares dream that things could improved.

Do they make mistakes? Sure. It's also the most expensive city in the country because people are lined up trying to get in.

--It is indeed a great city, it is unique--love the topography--Lombard Street,etc

 

[deanws]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,303425,00.html
San Francisco Considers Nation's First Safe Injection Site for Addicts
Thursday, October 18, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO — City health officials took the first tentative steps toward opening America's first legal safe-injection room, where addicts could shoot up heroin, cocaine and other drugs under the supervision of nurses.
Hoping to reduce San Francisco's high rate of fatal drug overdoses, the public health department co-sponsored a symposium Thursday on the only such facility in North America, a 4-year-old Vancouver site where an estimated 700 intravenous users a day self-administer narcotics.
Hundreds of community activists and health workers attending the forum also discussed what it would take to get a similar service going here and heard recovering addicts talk about why they think it is a good idea.
Organizers of the daylong forum, which included a coalition of nonprofit health and social-service groups, acknowledge that it could take years to get an injection facility up and running. Along with legal hurdles at the state and federal level, such an effort would be almost sure to face political opposition. (more at link)

Don't agree with this at all. All that will do is enable them to do something wrong and against the law....while we pay for it. Nope...no agreement here.

:slap:

 

[deanws]

I do agree with the needle swap program; however, I draw the line on a medical person standing by to make sure they don't overdose. We've got law abiding citizens who need medical assistance that cannot get it. Why should we provide it for people breaking the law? Our military veterans, children, elderly. Those are the people whom these medical providers should be concentrating.

Exactly!!!

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

 

[LisainWV]

:clap: :clap: :clap:
Excellent post.

I do agree with the needle swap program; however, I draw the line on a medical person standing by to make sure they don't overdose. We've got law abiding citizens who need medical assistance that cannot get it. Why should we provide it for people breaking the law? Our military veterans, children, elderly. Those are the people whom these medical providers should be concentrating.

 

[LisainWV]

Nice idea but I have a better one--Bring them all in at once and then tell them WE WERE JUST KIDDING--Then take all of them and lock them all up in separate cells and let them go thru their own cold turkey, convulsing and throwing up until they are clean of any and all drugs--lol--anyway,lets face facts: Drug Addicts who "shoot up" are the lowest form of scum around---They are all lowlifes and they help spread the deadly disease AIDS, and AIDS killed 16,000 people last year and over 500,000 people have died horrible deaths from it in the last 25 years in the US alone--no sympathy for needle drug addicts, people who don't care about themselves or anybody else and are a danger to society

And, they usually end up stealing to support their habits!!

 

[SadieMae]

At first I didn't like the idea. Thinking about it, maybe it's not so bad. I would like to know besides nurses, will drug rehab counselors be there too. Many drug addicts will not go to rehab, so if the counselors are there it might help some of them. The only I problem I see is drug dealers selling in the immediate area of the facility, it would make it convenient for both the dealers and addicts.

 

[SadieMae]

Nice idea but I have a better one--Bring them all in at once and then tell them WE WERE JUST KIDDING--Then take all of them and lock them all up in separate cells and let them go thru their own cold turkey, convulsing and throwing up until they are clean of any and all drugs--lol--anyway,lets face facts: Drug Addicts who "shoot up" are the lowest form of scum around---They are all lowlifes and they help spread the deadly disease AIDS, and AIDS killed 16,000 people last year and over 500,000 people have died horrible deaths from it in the last 25 years in the US alone--no sympathy for needle drug addicts, people who don't care about themselves or anybody else and are a danger to society

Drug addicts ARE a problem for all the reasons you and others mentioned. But they did not all start out as bad people. We don't know the level of pain and despair that made them addicts. Many started out as broken/abused children. Addiction is a tough thing to kick once hooked. Their survival is driven by their addiction, so they steal, prostitute themselves, neglect their children, etc...after all who's going to give a junkie a job? It takes a LOT of strength to be drug free. We have posters who were once addicts or have familiy members with addiction problems. I've learned a lot from them not to be so judgemental about the subject.

Maybe a place like this would be welcomed by family members of addicts, knowing they at least their loved ones will be safe from overdosing. Even addicts have people that love and still care about them.

 

[reb]

Is it wrong for me to say,, "YES.. please help them kill themselves faster...?"

I guess I am the last person on earth to see drug addiction as a CONSCIOUS CHOICE.. and not a 'disease' that people are helpless unwitting victims of. The only time I feel sympathy is when person has a chronic pain or injury that they can no longer bear and start taking pain pills for, and become addicted.. or, if their parents were drug addicts and it is inherited. Otherwise.... you're dumb enough to play with fire,, that's your problem, NOT mine. Sorry,,, but the dangers of drugs are very well known,, unless you grew up in a closet.

 

[Details]

The dangers of drug addiction are well known - but one momentary lapse shouldn't condemn you as a piece of trash for life. It's worth trying to recover them - at least the ones willing to work at it.


Until they're ready to ask for help, work - I don't care much about what happens to them - but I don't see them as completely gone from the first hit on.

 

[Marthatex]

The Vancouver site is evidently working - it "helps drug users quit their habits".

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2006/11/20/injection-study.html

Reb, I agree that it's a "choice" the first time or so you use drugs. But some may have started in their teens. And unfortunately, once you get hooked on heroin, or meth; it's awfully hard to get off of it on your own.

Once you get hooked on any addictive substance - including alcohol, or nicotene (sp); people just can't quit even though they want to.
Nicotene is supposed to be one of the most addictive substances of all.

And that meth so many are addicted to in rural Montana looks like a nightmare.

It's sad that so many drugs get into our country at all, and people make so much money making them or selling them.

Since we have addiction everywhere, we've got to try plans to get people off the nasty stuff and back into maybe contributing to society again. Vancouver is a very progressive city, and I'm glad they have a good program.

 

[reb]

<<But some may have started in their teens. And unfortunately, once you get hooked on heroin, or meth; it's awfully hard to get off of it on your own.>>

well then, it's very simple..... DON'T START!!!
What the hell does a person expect is going to happen if they shoot up heroin or try meth in the first place??

 

[Marthatex]

<<But some may have started in their teens. And unfortunately, once you get hooked on heroin, or meth; it's awfully hard to get off of it on your own.>>

well then, it's very simple..... DON'T START!!!
What the hell does a person expect is going to happen if they shoot up heroin or try meth in the first place??

do you have kids? Teenagers don't have normal minds anyway; much less troubled ones.

Abviously if people were logical, and said "don't start", we wouldn't have any addicts. That's kind of like saying, "why on earth did you have sex and not use protection, and get pregnant"????

It would be nice if we didn't have all those drugs comging through Mexico or wherever they come from.

Peer pressure rules through the teenage years, I'm sorry to say. They listen to parents also depending on the quality of the relationships and family life.

It takes alot of guidance, reb; unfortunately there are alot of bad parents who neglect their kids or treat them wrong; and even GOOD parents can have kids that get addicted to either alcohol or drugs.

In a perfect world we would have no one getting addicted to anything....
There are alot of unhappy and troubled people in this country - let me see, are there not AA chapters everywhere? Mental health care is a stigma and can mean loss of insurance.

It's an epidemic; let's not kid ourselves. It's not just lowlifes who get addicted to things.

 

[reb]

Yes, MTx, I agree... it's not just lowlifes.. and I certainly agree that many young people have very little guidance. However.. basic common sense tells us that drugs are bad and addictive. Everyone knows this. Let's face it.. the #1 reason people experiment with drugs, and smoking too (knowing full well of the dangers) is because they want to be rebellious, cool, a bad-*advertiser censored*,, peer pressure,, because everyone's doing it. Sorry,, if they end up addicts.. then obviously,, I hope they get it together and help themselves... but this whole attitude that so many addicts have of 'dammit, why isn't anyone helping me??' is annoying.. you got there yourself sweetheart. You're not a helpless victim of some random disease.

 

[Hopeful One]

<<But some may have started in their teens. And unfortunately, once you get hooked on heroin, or meth; it's awfully hard to get off of it on your own.>>

well then, it's very simple..... DON'T START!!!
What the hell does a person expect is going to happen if they shoot up heroin or try meth in the first place??

I agree with you here. I have a sister who is an addict and I wonder, WHY??? Why the h-ll did she even start?? She knew full-well our father was an addict!! That's what kept ME from trying stuff!!!

But, who am I to judge??