4 ms·

After visiting San Francisco a couple of weeks ago for the first time in years, I couldn't agree more with everything you just said - especially regarding the h

After visiting San Francisco a couple of weeks ago for the first time in years, I couldn't agree more with everything you just said - especially regarding the homeless and the persistent smell of marijuana. To add to that point further, the drug problem in San Francisco seems to be absolutely enormous. I can't even tell you the number of times I saw someone literally shooting up right on the sidewalk in broad daylight. It was very disconcerting to say the least. I get the need for access to clean syringes, but it seems to go beyond disease prevention and almost into the realm of enabling. I say all this as an expert of nothing, just my observations after 48 hours in the center of town.

fineIllregister 9y ago
> I get the need for access to clean syringes, but it seems to go beyond disease prevention and almost into the realm of enabling. I'm not sure I understand what you mean here. Most harm reduction programs of this type are needle exchanges, they're not just giving them away. It seems obvious that it won't enable the person to use if they obtain a clean syringe, because otherwise they'd just use the dirty one they already have. Exchange programs also incentivize people not to leave old syringes lying around.
dragonwriter 9y ago
> I get the need for access to clean syringes, but it seems to go beyond disease prevention and almost into the realm of enabling I think very close to zero people have ever decided, “you know, I'd like to use illegal IV drugs, but it's too hard to get clean needles so I'll pass”.