Needle Exchange Programs

Re “Are Needle Exchanges a Forgotten Weapon in the War Against AIDS?” Commentary, Jan. 13: As the close friend of a speed and heroin addict, my answer is “absolutely not!”

My friend is a sweet, beautiful and intelligent 21-year-old girl who shot drugs for the first time last year and became instantly addicted. I truly believe she would not have taken that first “hit” if her friend did not have clean needles from the local exchange in his possession. Now she frequents the needle exchange, and contrary to Beau Kilmer’s article, exchange workers have never encouraged her to seek treatment. Rather, she has purchased drugs and needles after hours at the exchange, as it is a haven for dealers.

Giving an addict a needle is called enabling--whether that needle is provided by a dealer or by the government. We must not nurture the fatal disease of addiction in order to fight the fatal disease of AIDS. As heartless as this sounds, if an addict gets AIDS or hepatitis from a dirty needle, that is the consequence of his or her own actions.

JOHN STEGALL

Sherman Oaks

* Surely you have a better pool of writers that can write more comprehensively than Joseph Farah in his take on needle exchanges. Yes, I’m a liberal. But I’m the type of liberal who likes to read intelligent opinions that differ from my own. Farah’s argument was limited and statements were not backed up well.

Surely we take this argument personally--dirty needles took the life of my cousin. But Kilmer did his homework and he clearly put his points forth in an argumentative manner. I would much prefer to read a strong and intelligent conservative opinion, rather than a “preachy” one. How disappointing.

MONA HOLMES

Altadena