USA - Texas needle exchange dead for now

[old hippie 56]

http://stopthedrugwar.org

The needle exchange program was envisioned to help slow the spread of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C among injection drugs users and would have been the first official program in Texas, which is the only state in the nation without one. The law was scheduled to take effect last September, but was put on hold after Bexar County District Attorney Susan Reed raised objections in August, saying that it would be illegal to conduct such a program because, in her opinion, the law was defective. That sparked State Senator Jeff Wentworth's request for an attorney general's opinion.

In addition to blocking the needle exchange program, the attorney general's opinion also opens the way to the vindictive prosecution of Bill Day, a 73-year-old AIDS sufferer who was ticketed along with two other people earlier this year for passing out clean needles. District Attorney Reed, a Republican who has warned she would arrest anyone trying to hand out needles, stayed Day's case pending Abbott's opinion, but is now likely to move forward with it.

While Day faces up to a year in jail if convicted of violating Texas drug paraphernalia laws, that's unlikely, First Assistant District Attorney Cliff Herberg told the Dallas Morning News. "Nobody expects that Mr. Day will go to jail," said Herberg. "If people think that he's well-intentioned, that's a punishment issue, not a guilt or innocence issue."

In his opinion, Abbott wrote the law passed last year was not written clearly enough to protect needle exchange participants from prosecution because it said only that the county health department "may" set up a needle exchange, not that it "will" set one up. While the legislature may have intended to set up a program, it needs to redraft the law to fix the language, he said.

Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon (D-San Antonio), the legislation's main sponsor, vowed to make fixing it one of her top priorities next year. "Obviously, I am terribly disappointed," she told the Morning News. "The outcome [with the needle exchange] would have been much more effective in saving thousands of lives and saving millions of taxpayer dollars at the same time."

[RaverHippie]

the attorney general's opinion also opens the way to the vindictive prosecution of Bill Day, a 73-year-old AIDS sufferer who was ticketed along with two other people earlier this year for passing out clean needles. District Attorney Reed, a Republican who has warned she would arrest anyone trying to hand out needles

That is disgusting...for anyone to legitimately think otherwise should analyze their priorities.

[Hyperspaceblastoff]

dood Bill Day should be seen as a hero the same way the ppl in africa fighting aids are

[zera]

I seriously don't understand the difference between controlling access to clean needles and poisoning the drug supply? Isn't it the same exact logic? We're going to stop people from doing drugs by making sure that those who are using die.

District Attorney Reed is on the same moral footing as centurions who crucified those that failed to conform to Roman culture. It's honesty the same exact ethos: if you don't conform to our lifestyle you deserve to die. Except Roman centurions weren't spineless enough to pretend like they were doing it for the children.

[x cynic x]

Originally Posted by zera

We're going to stop people from doing drugs by making sure that those who are using die.

It's honesty the same exact ethos: if you don't conform to our lifestyle you deserve to die.

The truth is so depressing sometimes. I was watchin this movie called Lions for Lambs today, and in one part a class was discussing the clean needle dispensing system. Then one kid said something like "Well the concept here is basically supplying people with utensils to help them break the law. If we're trying to outlaw drugs then wouldn't it be hipocritical to assist people who inject drugs? What next? A special lane designated for drunk drivers?".
I was thinking that people are going to break the law anyway and the health of citizens in the country should be prioritized above all else. In a better world I bet the law would be devised to improve the welfare of people as a whole.

[Hyperspaceblastoff]

lol its always for the children
cuz they cant speak for themselves

[old hippie 56]

Bad thing about this is that the children usually have more common sense than the politicans.

[stinky_plant]

There should be an ad along the lines, "D.A Reed wants people to get AIDS and hepatitis, do we really want this bitch as county prosecutor?"

Only in Texas, and only would politicians/ those in the legal profession be so stubborn and stupid.

[zera]

Originally Posted by stinky_plant

Only in Texas, and only would politicians/ those in the legal profession be so stubborn and stupid.

I wish it were as simple as that, then one could simply move away. Only problem politicians behave like this everywhere. There are dozens of states that don't needle exchanges. And every state, and pretty much everywhere in the world, criminalizes the possession and distribution of heroin which drastically increases the health risk and mortality rate of users.

[stinky_plant]

It'll be so ironic if one of these lawmakers gets wet or gets a boner (depending on the gender) for a needle head current or ex, and gets hepatitis or AIDS because of their "uphold the law!" attitude. When the D.A.'s cunt starts burning, then it'll be a health concern for the welfare for the whole state.

[beentheredonethatagain]

dude I thought the purchase of syringes from a drug store was now legal.

If so then why even need a needle exchange program? NIK hasnt bought a ten pack of 1cc syringes in over a decade, but they were easy to get and only a few bucks.

[old hippie 56]

Swim area, they are picky on who buys needles, some stores will some won't. Had one ask the type insulin, dr. name, look at swim arms. Gave him all the info, still wouldn't sell him none.

[stoneinfocus]

america always sorts the shit out, eh!?