Call To Make Syringes Available To Drug Users (Press, 16 October 1986)

On 16 October 1986, health reporter Joan Begg covered a significant call from drug treatment centres and the A.I.D.S. Foundation in New Zealand advocating for the government to make needles and syringes readily accessible to drug users. This initiative aims to curb the spread of A.I.D.S. through needle-sharing practices. Mr Warren Lindberg, the director of the A.I.D.S. Foundation, referenced similar successful measures implemented in Australia, where drug users can obtain needles from chemists following recommendations from an A.I.D.S. task force. Currently, in New Zealand, possessing needles or syringes for illegal purposes is criminalised under the Misuse of Drugs Act. During a recent meeting involving various alcohol and drug centres from locations such as Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, and Palmerston North, there was a consensus that a needle-exchange scheme should be introduced. Dr John Dobson from the Canterbury Hospital Board’s alcohol and drug centre highlighted the correlation between the sharing of unsterilised needles and the transmission of A.I.D.S. He endorsed a needle exchange system, suggesting that it would mitigate the presence of dirty needles in the community, as drug users would be required to trade used needles for sterile ones. Concerns that easier access to needles would lead to an increase in drug use were dismissed by experts. Dr Dobson pointed to reports from the Netherlands, where the introduction of a needle exchange programme did not correlate with increased drug use, but rather, it was access to drugs that influenced usage rates. Mr Neil Thornton, co-ordinator at Wellington Hospital Board’s alcohol and drug centre, indicated that the prevalence of A.I.D.S. had stabilised among intravenous drug users in the Netherlands since the programme's initiation, unlike countries with strict needle access like Spain and Italy, where A.I.D.S. rates had skyrocketed. While evidencing the need for improved access to sterile needles, Thornton also addressed the importance of promoting safe sex practices among drug users. He stressed the necessity of a holistic A.I.D.S. prevention package that underscores both the need for sterile needles and safe sex, cautioning against merely advising drug users against sharing needles without ensuring an adequate supply. Currently, New Zealand has reported cases of intravenous drug users with positive A.I.D.S. antibodies, highlighting a potential threat extending beyond drug users to their sexual partners and offspring. The A.I.D.S. Foundation and the centres have made formal submissions to the A.I.D.S. Advisory Committee and engaged with several ministers about the issue. Dr Bassett, the Minister of Health, expressed caution regarding changes to needle access due to concerns about their potential impact on drug use. He requested a review of the committee's stance in light of recent submissions asserting the need for reform. Dr Richard Meech, chairman of the A.I.D.S. Advisory Committee, confirmed that recommendations on this matter would be presented to the Minister within a few months, indicating ongoing deliberation regarding needle and syringe restrictions within a broader A.I.D.S. discourse.

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