San Diego Needle-Exchange Program Endorsed

Under a one-year pilot program approved Tuesday by the San Diego City Council, intravenous drug users will be given clean needles to curb the spread of hepatitis and AIDS. "The only alternative we have is to do nothing, and if we do nothing people will become infected and they will die," said Councilmember Donna Frye.

The privately financed plan was adopted on a 5-4 vote over the objections of Mayor Dick Murphy and Police Chief David Bejarano. "If we are trying to make San Diego the city that has the lowest crime rate in the nation we should not support a needle exchange," said Murphy, a former judge. "We're also concerned again about the message we're sending children," said Bejarano. "We're sending a message that encourages drug abuse. Joining them in opposing the plan were San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Bill Baxter and the city police union.

But advocates, including the president of the union representing city firefighters, said the program is crucial to curbing the rapid spread of hepatitis C in the county. "These diseases, HIV and hepatitis C, are scourges on our society and we must do everything we can to prevent them," said Ron Saathoff, president of Firefighters Local 145. "With all due respect to our police chief, this is an issue of public health," said Councilmember Byron Wear. At least 14 California cities and counties have authorized needle exchange programs.

The $334,000 program, which will be funded by the nonprofit Alliance Healthcare Foundation (AHF), was recommended by the Clean Syringe Exchange Program Task Force appointed by council last year. AHF representative Linda Lloyd said it will probably be mid-April before the program is launched. The program will operate from a mobile home in Mid-City and downtown neighborhoods with a high incidence of drug-related arrests. The mobile home must stay at least three blocks away from schools. Clean needles will be exchanged one-for-one, with no more than two needles given at a time. AHF will oversee the program, which will be run by a nonprofit chosen by the foundation, Lloyd said.

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