*Editor’s note: The Northern Kentucky Health Department will begin operating a syringe exchange access program July 24. The mobile unit will be at St. Elizabeth Healthcare Urgent Care Newport/Ft. Thomas (1400 N. Grand Ave.) Tuesdays from 1 – 4 p.m. Tuesdays and St. Elizabeth Healthcare – Covington (1500 James Simpson Jr. Way) from 1 – 4 p.m. Thursdays.
In my opinion, the first step to recovery from this terrible drug epidemic is the Syringe Access Exchange Program.
Peluso
The elected body of the Newport Board of City Commissioners along with the city of Covington’s Board (2 years ago) demonstrated true leadership with a vision to do the right thing in protecting the residents in their respective communities.
People with this drug addiction will access this program with the willingness that one day they will become free from this addiction.
This program will give people a fighting chance verses other programs. They have decided for themselves that this process was a choice they made instead of it being forced upon them.
The Newport Board of City Commissioners made the right decision to implement this program and work cooperatively with the NKY health department and St. Elizabeth.
The opioid epidemic has NO boundaries. Every community is facing this horrible problem. As elected officials, our top priority is to protect our residents. In this case, we need to stop the spread of infectious diseases caused by the use of dirty needles.
For this program to reach a level of success, more cities need to participate and allow the mobile unit into their community.
This drug epidemic should be a concern for all elected officials in all 36+ communities within Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties. To those elected officials who would rather not participate and have the attitude and take the position ( not in the city I live in ), SHAME on you!
Thank you to the Covington board of city commissioners ( 2 years ago ) and to the Newport Board of city commissioners; Tom Guidugli, Frank Peluso, Beth Fennell, Ken Rechtin, and to the residents of our city. “We did the right thing.”
Jerry Peluso is the Mayor of Newport
Mayor Jerry Peluso is a good man but this column points out that he has been fooled on this issue. The clean needles to addicts is no way to solve the drug problems that plague our society. Needle programs only help drug addicts stay high.
While it is argued that this program slows down the spread of HIV, clean- needle programs are inherently destructive. They address only one symptom, but give the illusion of solving the multi-pronged drug addiction problem. This program violates state law.
Only hospitals, clinics and health care professionals are legally permitted to have hypodermic needles.
We must remember that clean needles are not a panacea.
Although clean-needle-exchange programs have been adopted by many cities, including New York City, it’s ultimately a bad idea. It addresses only HIV and hepatitis infections and does nothing about the other criminal, medical and social aspects of drug addiction.
For example:
* Giving out clean needles does not discourage drug dependence.
* Addicts still are prone to death, perhaps not from HIV, but from overdose, collapsed veins, poisoned dope, or the violence and criminality that go along with the illicit drug trade.
* Drug-addicted mothers will still deliver drug-addicted babies.
* Sterile needles don’t address the underlying problems addicts are avoiding.
* Sterile needles offer the path of least resistance rather than address underlying psychoses.
* Drugs destroy families when all the house money is paying for drugs, lawyers and treatment.
Clean-needle give-aways are at taxpayers expense and this program is NOT AN EXCHANGE. We should continue raising objections to this evil practice that makes it easier for drug addicts to stay high.
A needle exchange sanctions bad behavior. It suggests that if you’re persistent enough doing the wrong thing, you’ll be rewarded with official permission to keep doing it. SHAME ON MAYOR JERRY PELUSO FOR HELPING TO INSTALL THIS PROGRAM!