New law allows Washington needle exchange.
By on Dec 27th, 2007 at 9:05 am
New law allows Washington needle exchange.
Yesterday, President Bush signed a budget bill for Washington, D.C. lifting a ban that “for nearly a decade has prevented city officials here from using local tax money for needle exchange programs.” Washington has the highest AIDS infection rate in the country, with one in 20 residents thought to be infected with HIV.
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That had to have been snuck in — if Bush knew it was there, he wouldn’t have signed it.
Bush seems to believe that denying addicts clean needles will make them quit using, just like denying teens condoms will make them quit having sex. Furthermore, I think Bush (like Reagan) sees AIDS as something that kills off expendable people and is therefore not a concern.
December 27th, 2007 at 9:34 amDont these stupid republicans just believe in “Drug Use Abstinence” too?
Just teach “Dont Do Drugs” right???
It works as well as Sex Abstinence Education.
Whats the point anyway? Ron Paul says 95% of addicts are black men and 95% of THEM are criminals…
hahaha , he said sarcastically
December 27th, 2007 at 9:42 amhuh? george “DUMBYA” bush?
December 27th, 2007 at 10:04 amLet’s hope that with his extensive travel plans for 2008, George will unknowingly sign into law other legislation with Progressive Poison Pills in it.
Who knows, maybe he’ll sign up for SCHIP expansion while experiencing jetlag coming back from Germany?
December 27th, 2007 at 10:13 amW probably needs to exchange his needles. They are only in it for themselves.
December 27th, 2007 at 10:21 amThat is an alarming rate of HIV in supposedly one of the most advanced societies in the modern world. WE CAN DO BETTER!
December 27th, 2007 at 10:27 amCue the racist troll comments in 4, 3, 2, ….
December 27th, 2007 at 11:10 amThe local D.C. taxpayers have been wanting to fund a needle exchange program for years, but the President and/or the Congress had previously blocked it. Now the city can do the needle exchange program with its own money, not ours.
Seems like many lives will be saved (a very good outcome).
December 27th, 2007 at 2:18 pmWouldn’t it be much more cost-effective to lock up the criminals instead of helping them to shoot up more H?
Comment by Frank M — December 27, 2007 @ 2:37 pm
Average cost of incarceration per inmate per year: $20,674.00
400 23G 3/4 in regular bevel hypodermic needles (1 year’s supply): $47.16
Cost of drug treatment program per patient: $2,941
No, it wouldn’t. Damn liberally-biased reality!!!
December 27th, 2007 at 3:59 pmGeez…free drug paraphernalia for the junkee!
December 27th, 2007 at 4:29 pmThat is an alarming rate of HIV in supposedly one of the most advanced societies in the modern world. WE CAN DO BETTER!
Comment by RMG — December 27, 2007 @ 10:27 am
Absolutely! Stop having unprotected sex. Stop using illicit drugs. Stop the behavior that brings about these types of adverse consequences.
December 27th, 2007 at 4:31 pmAbsolutely! Stop having unprotected sex. Stop using illicit drugs. Stop the behavior that brings about these types of adverse consequences.
Comment by JT — December 27, 2007 @ 4:31 pm
I see. That’s actually good advice. I don’t have unprotected sex and I don’t use illicit drugs, and I don’t have AIDS.
Unfortunately, not everyone takes good advice. Especially those who are already addicted. What other suggestions do you have?
December 27th, 2007 at 5:36 pm#12 — “Junkee” s/b “junkie.”
December 27th, 2007 at 5:37 pmGeez…free drug paraphernalia for the junkee!
Comment by JT — December 27, 2007 @ 4:29 pm
I would rather give a junkie free needles at (my) taxpayer expense than pay for that junkie’s illness, deterioration, and death from AIDS. Not to mention all the people he/she manages to infect along the way.
This is just practicality — not support or enthusiasm for any particular lifestyle.
December 27th, 2007 at 5:39 pmI just moved from Tennessee to DC. TN has no income tax and I love that. Looking at my check stubs, the DC tax is about 6.3% That’s a boatload for a local tax. It pisses me off that I have to pay that much and now I know that I’m being charged so much because some jackass can’t control his intake.
If anyone here would like to donate money to a needle exchange program, then by all means, have at it, but don’t force me at gunpoint to pay for it. Damn, that pisses me off.
December 27th, 2007 at 6:05 pmIf anyone here would like to donate money to a needle exchange program, then by all means, have at it, but don’t force me at gunpoint to pay for it. Damn, that pisses me off.
Comment by Alejandro — December 27, 2007 @ 6:05 pm
See my post above yours. I assume you’re one of the people who would rather foot the medical bills when that junkie gets AIDS from a dirty needle.
December 27th, 2007 at 6:23 pmNo. If you want to give to that charity too then do it. I shouldn’t be paying for someone else’s mistakes unless I choose to do so. Hell, I might donate money to charity, but I don’t donate a freaking dime because almost 30% of my income is taken by one tier of the many tiers of government and I can barely afford the insane rent in DC.
December 27th, 2007 at 6:30 pmIf you want to give to that charity too then do it. I shouldn’t be paying for someone else’s mistakes unless I choose to do so. Hell, I might donate money to charity, but I don’t donate a freaking dime because almost 30% of my income is taken by one tier of the many tiers of government and I can barely afford the insane rent in DC.
Comment by Alejandro — December 27, 2007 @ 6:30 pm
Could I then refuse to use my tax dollars to pay for War, Military, Oil Companies, Defense Contractors, and self-generated pay increases for useless politicians?
If people don’t want to use tax dollars for addict needles, art, unemployment, Social Security, and other social programs, then we should also refuse to pay or complain about paying for the practices of the War Machine.
Fair Enough?
December 27th, 2007 at 10:28 pm“Wouldn’t it be much more cost-effective to lock up the criminals instead of helping them to shoot up more H?”
Well, let’s see, a years worth of needles vs. a year of incarceration. Uhhhh, no, it is not more cost effective, ferret face.
December 28th, 2007 at 2:45 am“I just moved from Tennessee to DC. TN has no income tax and I love that. Looking at my check stubs, the DC tax is about 6.3% That’s a boatload for a local tax. It pisses me off that I have to pay that much and now I know that I’m being charged so much because some jackass can’t control his intake.”
Uh, Tennessee also has no educational system. You grow retards and pot. And the pot is more helpful to society.
December 28th, 2007 at 2:47 am“Geez…free drug paraphernalia for the junkee!
Comment by JT — December 27, 2007 @ 4:29 pm”
Realism is not your strong suit, is it?
December 28th, 2007 at 2:48 am“Absolutely! Stop having unprotected sex. Stop using illicit drugs. Stop the behavior that brings about these types of adverse consequences.”
Again, grow up and join the real world.
December 28th, 2007 at 2:49 amUh…
Does anyone here, on either side, have anything on the experiences of any countries, cities, localities have actually done it?
Does it work (or has it) in the real world? Or are we only working mental gymnastics with theories (left or right)?
December 28th, 2007 at 1:51 pmCould I then refuse to use my tax dollars to pay for War, Military, Oil Companies, Defense Contractors, and self-generated pay increases for useless politicians?
If people don’t want to use tax dollars for addict needles, art, unemployment, Social Security, and other social programs, then we should also refuse to pay or complain about paying for the practices of the War Machine.
Fair Enough?
Comment by Brain From Planet Arous — December 27, 2007 @ 10:28 pm
There is only one problem with your suggestion. The Constitution. There are specifically enumerated responsibilities, and exclusions reserved for the states.
National defense (even if you don’t agree with how that is done) is specifically given the the national government.
Social programs are reserved for the individual states (see the 10th Amendment) – even though Congress is so far over that line that it is not even funny anymore.
December 28th, 2007 at 1:58 pm