More Cosmetic Drugs, More Problems

The United Kingdom finds itself at odds with a new boom in the usage of dangerous cosmetic drugs. People using cosmetic drugs such as Melanotan and Steroids are now outnumbering crack cocaine and methamphetamine addicts.

Alistair Ramsay, who runs Drugwise Needle Exchange in Scotland, explains: “Needle-sharing among bodybuilders has been a problem for some time. It’s often the case with people using steroids that they’ll start out with someone else’s needle. And because needle exchanges usually operate a one-for-one swap, only then will they be given clean injecting equipment” (Herbert)

However, the use of the newer cosmetic drug Melanotan creates new problems. The drug is a tanning aid that makes skin appear darker. “With the tanning drugs being relatively new, we do not know what the long-term effects will be,” says Ramsay. Many health officials say, “cosmetic drug injectors run the same risks of catching HIV/AIDS or Hepatitis C as heroin and cocaine addicts.” Recently, the drug skyrocketed in popularity, but this rise results in a rise in addicts collecting free syringes from needle exchanges.

Government programs are not sure if they have the capability to provide the amount of needles that are in demand. “A recent NHS study found that more than half of Scotland’s needle exchange agencies and pharmacies are regularly visited by the injectors of cosmetic drugs– in some places making up 20 per cent” (Herbert). As of now, Scotland’s government is attempting to create new needle exchange guidelines, but struggles because most users of cosmetic drugs are often in employment.

Source: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/177474/Needle-exchanges-for-tan-addicts

Blog post written by Kelsey Wilkins

Tajikistan Prisons Pilot Needle Exchange Program

The adoption of a needle exchange program by Tajikistan prisons can be seen as a pilot effort towards international acceptance of these controversial disease prevention practices.

The Department of Correction Affairs is responsible for the implementation of such an exchange program in Tajikistan. A rapid assessment in 2009 by the Tajik government identified the country’s prison system as a high-risk communicable disease location and a prime location for a harm reduction program. Needle and Syringe Exchange Programs (NSEP) had proven results in the reduction of HIV and Hepatitis C communication among prisoners in various other countries that chose to implement them. NSEP are described as “safe both for staff in prisoners and promote decrease and harness risky behaviors as well as the rate of blood borne diseases” by the United Nations Development Program.

The proven success of the Needle Syringe Exchange Programs led to the signing of a decree in January 2010 by the Department of Correction Affairs beginning NSEP in prisons of the Republic of Tajikistan.

The first stage of this implementation occurred in February of this year and consisted of “training and raising knowledge on the urgency and specifics of NSEP implementation for staff and prisoners in the prison” according to a United Nations Development Program Newsletter. The second stage of implementation involves appointments to educate individual prisoners regarding safe needle use practices and many are scheduled to be conducted in the near future.

On a global scale there is a 14.7 percent adult HIV prevalence among injecting drug users according to International Harm Reduction Association’s Global State of Harm Reduction. Implementation of programs such as NSEP by international governments are key to educating individuals on risks associated with sharing injection needles and lowering disease transmission statistics.

Matt Phillips

Source:

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App Sketch Analysis

Short description: All HIV Alliance information, resources and updates in one place.

Our target audience for this specific app are volunteers of the HIV Alliance, current financial donors, others interested in further research of the HIV Alliance. The individuals who use the HIV Alliance and the local needle exchange for the purpose of disposing and receiving un-used needles will not be carrying an iPhone. Specific information, resources and updates includes HIV Alliance sponsored events, times and dates of the needle exchange, and contact information. Therefore, our target audience will be able to check exchange times and event locations, for example, on-the-go.

The design of the app will feature a syringe needle, vertically placed on the screen. “NEEDLE EXCHANGE” will be placed on the top third of the screen and “HIV ALLIANCE” will be placed on the bottom third of the screen, in a bold, black font. The milliliter lines on the syringe needle designate five different categories: Donate, Doctor, Recent News, Information, and Events. The individual can click on any of these categories for further information. For example, if the person clicks on “Doctor” then he/she will be directed to a screen that will feature a comment box to type in a question, which is automatically forwarded to the HIV Alliance. The doctor working at the HIV Alliance will personally reply to these questions within 24 hours. The Doctor page is a place where people curious about the HIV Alliance, HIV/AIDS epidemic or any additional health concerns surrounding needle injection can seek answers.

Another example is the “Events” section. A single page with the most updated information will appear. To keep it simple, just the Event title, date, location and a small representational image will appear. For more information, the HIV Alliance phone number and additional contact information will be located at the bottom of the page.

This app is meant to be simple, yet informational. The users will be using this app as a means to gather data, rather than for entertainment or work purposes. The design will reflect that simplicity to make things as efficient as possible for our audience.

In addition to simplicity, this app will also raise awareness to individuals looking to accumulate information on the HIV Alliance. The convenience of the app will allow more people to gather information, and it is our hope that this ease will promote more individuals to participate in volunteer opportunities, community events, and donor possibilities.

Our goal is to not only raise awareness of the HIV Alliance and the local needle exchange, but to also deepen individual’s understanding of the purpose and benefits of the organization to drug-users and the community as a whole. This app will be easy for our audience to use, and provide an informational and interactive way to enrich one’s understanding of the HIV Alliance.

New Approach to “War on Drugs”

President Barack Obama recently changed his approach to the current “war on drugs“. He lifted the bans on funding community needle exchange programs. Obama encourages communities to be supportive of these types of programs, because the intervention should begin at the community level. This support would allow people to be more receptive to receive help, information, etc. on a more comfortable level. By providing this comfort cushion, current drug-users are more likely to turn to a local program for assistance instead of seemingly ‘foreign’ programs that may be intimidating for users. By implementing these community educational programs and treatment centers, Obama hopes to decrease the number of current illegal drug users by roughly fifteen percent in the following five years.

These current changes by the President reinforces the claim that these programs, specifically community needle exchanges, are extremely beneficial to current users. Because of the beneficial services, including treatment, that the needle exchange programs offer, an increase in funding of these programs can diminish drug-use rates around the nation. If drug-users can feel comfortable enough to confide in their community needle exchange program, they will be more willing to reach out for help in the treatment/recovery process. These services will in turn target one of the program’s goals of reducing the spread of HIV/AIDs and Hepatitis C.

President Obama dubbed the “war on drugs” an “utter failure”, but has put his faith, and funds, into the community programs because he believes that they are more effective than the current steps that were taken to fight this so-called “war”. Obama’s new changes will hopefully encourage local communities to fund, or increase current funds for intervention and treatment programs.

Eugene implemented a local needle exchange called the HIV Alliance more than ten years ago, but the organization still struggles to receive adequate funding because people in the community believe this program only encourages current users to continue their habits. However, the director of the HIV Alliance program states that the program has allowed current users to come to a safe, trustworthy place to receive the assistance, information, and guidance needed to kick their drug abuse.

With the publicity of the newly implemented plans from President Obama, the local needle exchanges around the nation will continue to expand with the support of each individual community, as well as the federal government. This is a crucial opportunity for our nation to become aware, and understand the advantages of needle exchange programs in order to successfully fight the “war on drugs”.

Written by: Annie Feuer

Morally Wrong or Morally Correct?

By: Ariane Kunze

In recent years, with the HIV/AIDS count at an all time high, many new needle exchange programs have been established in order to lower the spread of disease. The intent of needle exchange programs, such as the HIV Alliance in Eugene, is not to promote drug use, but rather lower the risk of an injecting drug user (IDU) from contracting HIV or Hepatitis C.

They also provide many worthwhile services and drug treatment programs to IDUs who seek the assistance of a needle exchange. Despite the intent of needle exchange programs, two arguments arise among faith-based groups that present the issue of morality in the distribution of clean needles.

The morality of the needle exchange among faith-based organizations is often a contradictory subject matter. Faith-based organizations have consistently supported the prevention of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis, but few have supported the actual act of distributing clean needles. This is perhaps because the act of distributing needles is seen by many as fueling the drug user’s habit, but in actuality, the rate of injection drug users has decreased since needle exchange programs have spread across the U.S. Drug use and the act of injecting drugs is, generally speaking, morally wrong and non-beneficial to communities according to most faiths, but helping the user in other non-pervasive ways is not. The Body, a HIV/AIDS online resource states that, “Opposition to syringe exchange has been rooted in the belief that supporting syringe exchange is an endorsement of drug use.”

On the other end of the spectrum, many needle exchange programs gain significant funding from faith-based organizations. Religious divisions such as the Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church USA, and The United Church of Christ support harm reduction, which is the main mission of needle exchange organizations. Since needle exchange programs cannot gain federal funding, they receive donations. Churches help fund needle exchange organizations perhaps because the needle exchange’s mission of harm reduction reaches out directly to the IDUs and provides free testing, treatment and rehab services, as well as other essential survival items, free of cost. The Body believes that, “The HIV work of religious groups has its roots in a holistic concern for preventive health care, respect for the dignity of those affected, and a fundamental belief that each person has an essential worth.” Many church groups even bless the unused syringes before their distribution and provide worship for any IDUs who wish to attend.

Although the debate still stands over whether giving IDUs clean needles is morally acceptable, most faith-based organizations stand strong in support of the helpful recovery and prevention services that needle exchange programs provide to the sick.

http://www.thebody.com/content/news/art56483.html#barriers