"I don't want to give free needles to known drug abusers," said Rep. Dianne Delisi, a Temple Republican who chairs the Public Health committee. She pointed to Amsterdam as an example of how things can go wrong in cities with needle exchange programs.
"There's a lot of drug abuse. They're sitting there doing drugs in the parks," Delisi said. "Well, not in Texas. Not under my watch."
Come on, Dianne, How about under your watch we all stick our heads up our asses and see if that works!
More than a million people in the US inject drugs frequently, at a cost to society in health care, lost productivity, accidents, and crime of more than $50 billion a year. People who inject drugs imperil their own health. If they contract HIV or hepatitis, their needle-sharing partners, sexual partners and offspring may become infected. (source: Center for AIDS Prevention Studies)
From the San Antonio Express News:
Sen. Jon Lindsay, a Houston Republican and former county judge, previously has pushed the bill, but it hasn't gone anywhere. Opponents worry that the programs increase drug use. But, Lindsay said: "You're not going to stop the drug use by denying them needles. They're going to find needles even if they have to reuse them."
Since 1998, at least, the Federal Government has acknowledged that needle exchange programs work. (Source: Health and Human Services)
How this woman got to be the Chair of Public is is beyond me and fair minded Texans that understands Public Health.
She looks a bit high in that picture
I think the limited medical access to medical facilities and the bad reliance of the service are mainly responsible for this situation.(needle exchanges )
I hate to try link two different ideas, but they both fall under public health. The GOP is constantly harping about abstinence-only sex ed because they are worried if they teach kids about sex, then they'll have sex. They're worried that needle exchanges are what make people do drugs. Yet, without the needle exchanges or sex ed, people are still doing drugs and having sex.
The question isn't what might happen, it's what is happening and what are they going to do to fix it? That's what they were elected to do, to solve problems.
If needle exchanges work and abstinence only doesn't, it might be time to think outside the box. That's all I'm saying.