ARCHESdistributionaWHObestpractice
Its work is supported by government
Few issues relating to the opioid crisis have proven more contentious than that of needle debris in public spaces. The problem has become a political hotspot for local residents worried about the safety of their children and themselves.
Public drug use has long been a part of the culture of certain areas of Lethbridge. But with nearly 3,000 suspected chronic drug users in the community, and fewer than 1,000 using the supervised consumption site, many are still choosing to use their drugs in public places.
ARCHES distributes needles onsite as part of a harm reduction effort to curb instances of HIV and Hepatitis C. The program is a best practice outlined by the World Health Organization and supported by different levels of government through Health Canada and Alberta Health.
The goal is to provide as many clean needles to drug users as they need so that they always have one available. Anytime drug tools are shared, there is a danger of transmission of bloodborne illnesses.
Social media has played a pivotal role in how members of the community have reacted to the issue. Sharing images and stories is commonplace as a way for many people to find support and get organized.
In June, members of a Facebook group dedicated to sharing information on needle debris in the city held a rally in front of City Hall to protest the number of needles being distributed and express frustration over discarded needles in areas where children play.
The “Not Another Needle” rally pushed three main points, including:
First, that ARCHES switch to retractable syringes for their clean needle program.
Second, that ARCHES enforce a needle exchange program, which would see needles handed out only to those who have brought back their previous needles.
Third, Lethbridge needs to force the issue of a larger treatment and rehabilitation centre for the area.
“If you cannot stop the needles, make them safe for our kids,” event spokesperson Sarah Villebrun said at the time.
“We realize addicts need help,” she said during the rally. “But we also don’t want to be putting the public and our children at risk.”
In the past two years there has been an explosion in the number of needles made available to the community. In the fall of 2015, the organization was handing out 4,000 needles per month.
By spring 2017, that number had jumped to 16,000 per month. By the fall of that year, ARCHES was handing out more than 30,000 per month.
However, one of the effects the opening of the supervised consumption site has had on the community is a a reduction in the instances of public drug use.
With it has come a reduction in the number of needles entering the community by about 20,000, down to between 13,000 and 15,000.
ARCHES encourages SCS users to return their used needles to the site when they get new ones, but the prevailing wisdom is that strict one-to-one needle exchanges do not work to reduce disease rates.
While ARCHES has recorded a 95 to 97 per cent return rate, that still leaves hundreds of needles unaccounted for every month. And needles are not just coming from ARCHES, but are available through some pharmacies or can even be purchased online.
Last month, ARCHES announced it was ending the practice of distributing needles through its Walking Outreach team, and would only be distributing needles from the SCS with a renewed focus on needle collection.
Additionally, as of July 1, the organization began independently tracking needles returned to the SCS and needles found in the community, and discontinued harm reduction supply distribution from its 6 Avenue South location.
The decision was made in an effort to strike a balance between their efforts to control rates of disease with concerns from the public.
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