Vol. 5, No. 10
May 16, 2005
Contents
1) DRUG STUFF
A) MORE ON HYPODERMIC NEEDLES
What I've recently written about used hypodermic needles on the streets of Somerville has
brought on a flood of correspondence form legal needle users - insulin dependent diabetics - who
have received conflicting advice how to dispose of their own needles. Some claim to have been
told by previous Health Directors in Somerville simply to discard their used needles in the trash.
Others say that their doctors have told them to save their used needles for their local needle
collection program, only to find out that Somerville has no such program in place.
Last month, I sponsored a Board Order asking the Somerville Police Dept. to meet with the
Health Dept. and develop a uniform protocol for needle disposal. In my search for resources and
information on the subject, I've discovered that Massachusetts law offers little guidance for
communities trying to dispose of needles, whether legally obtained or illicit. Looking for
practical advice, I spoke with Gary Langis, the Director of an HIV prevention program in Lynn,
who also trains police and other enforcement officers on the safe handling of used hypodermic
needles. His advice:
1) NEVER break off the needle portion from the hypodermic syringe - once detached, the
needles are nearly invisible, and become a greater hazard than when attached to the more visible
whole.
2) For those who use hypodermic needles, his recommended disposal methods are either: 1) to
put the used needles in a HEAVY DUTY plastic laundry detergent bottle, keep it in a safe place,
and turn it in when full to your local needle-return facility (ask your clinician if you can bring
used needles to your health care facility for proper disposal; or 2) place used hypodermics in
a metal coffee can, place them in a hot oven until they melt together in a mass, then seal the can
lid on THOROUGHLY with duct tape before placing in a trash receptacle.
I cannot guarantee that the latter method will get the blessing of all public health professionals,
but it does seem to mitigate the hazards substantially.
It's still difficult to get good data about the frequency with which discarded hypodermic needles
are found, and in what locations; I've sponsored another Board Order asking the Police Dept.
to develop uniform, consistent methods for keeping records of such events. Until last month, I'd
never found one west of Lowell Street. The one I then found in Magoun Square was just barely
west of Lowell Street. While I was guarding it, the Ward Seven Alderman stopped by to chat,
and told me that he'd recently found several in Dilboy Field and near Woodstock Playground - about as far west as one can go and still be in Somerville.
Last Friday, May 13, 2005, I went to Union Square to do a few errands, and chat with people
I know. The following are some remarks made to me on that excursion:
"Yesterday [May 12, 2005], I found two needles on Vinal Ave., at the corner of Grandview."
"I have this friend who's a state trooper, and one day, he tells me, 'turn around,' so I do; then
he puts the cuffs on me! I asked him, 'what's this all about?" and he took me to my front door,
and there was a needle lying right in front, fully loaded! They must have been ready to use it,
somebody scared them, so they dropped it, and ran. My friend took the cuffs off, of course. But
you should have seen this thing - it was ready to go!"
"I found a needle right in front of City Hall. It was up against the curb, at the front of the
reserved parking space. When I saw the cop who watches the parking lot at the end of school,
I told him about it, and he picked it up and took it away."
For more about hypodermic needles, and the situation of injectable drugs users, read on.
B) REPORT ON THE APRIL 27TH FORUM ON ADDICTION
There was a flood of information about the use of injectable drugs at the Somerville Cares About
Prevention (SCAP) forum on Oxycontin, Heroin, and Recovery in Somerville. One speaker
informed the audience that a used hypodermic needle costs $2 to $3 on the street; a clean, new
one can cost $10. By contrast, the Health Director of a nearby city told me that cheap heroin
can be had there for $4 to $6 a bag; Somerville is probably comparable.
Learning the street value of even used hypodermics makes me more surprised that so many can
be found lying in the public ways of the city. Needles, however, are highly regulated in
Massachusetts, where unauthorized possession of a hypodermic needle is a crime. There is
presently a bill pending in the Legislature to make hypodermics available over the counter in
pharmacies, as they are in many states.
Eliza Wheeler, from Cambridge Cares About AIDS (CCAA), spoke at the forum about her
organization's Needle Exchange Program (NEP). Enrollees in that program, one of four in the
state, can get three clean needles in exchange for each used one that they turn in. The also
receive cards that permit them to carry needles, exempting them from arrest for doing so.
According to Ms. Wheeler, 347 people from Somerville are enrolled in CCAA's Needle
Exchange Program. While the law prohibits persons under the age of 18 from being enrolled,
CCAA found that, in 2003, 35% of new enrollees reported first injecting drugs when they were
in their teens or younger; another 37% report first injecting when in their 20s. A typical pattern
for youth is trying oxycontin, or other prescription opiates, and becoming addicted; moving on
to sniffing heroin when the pill habit becomes too expensive, and go from there then injecting
heroin.
Ms. Wheeler reported at the forum that CCAA had newly enrolled 1,863 needle users in its NEP
the previous year (since March, 2004), of whom 748 were aged 18-24; those under 18 are
turned away. More demographics of CCAA's NEP enrollees are: 85% are white; 85% are
housed (many of the young injectors live at home); 67% are unemployed, 28% hold full or part-time jobs. Of those enrolled, 17% have already experienced a non-fatal overdose, and 60% have already been in some form of drug treatment.
Needle Exchange Programs are part of a philosophy of drug treatment called Harm Reduction.
Focused on reducing harm to the users themselves, programs grounded in this view of treating
addiction aim to reduce HIV and Hepatitis C infections; to keep injectable drug users alive and
healthy until such time as they may be motivated to choose treatment, by providing "a
supportive, non-judgmental environment;" and to "decrease the infectiousness of needles and
improve needle disposal practices, thereby providing greater safety in our communities."
Please, readers, let me know if you want more reporting on this and related subjects.
2) VIEW "THE WRITING ON THE PARK BENCH"
Shortly after I reported on a fresh crop of graffiti at Lexington Park, I went back and discovered
that DPW had cleaned all the benches. They had, however, ignored all other surfaces, so the
utility box was still emblazoned "Kill a Yuppie," and similar messages were visible on the play
structures.
You can view images of this graffiti.
Several people who tried the link to another website mentioned in that newsletter told me either
that they could not find the "Fallen Soldiers of the Ville", or
that the site seemed to be down. I have occasionally found it down myself, but try scrolling down the Home Page
to a list of headings on the lower left, or going to
http://pdiddy.servebeer.com/Matt%20O'Brien.htm.
I've had some computer problems myself lately, but now that my on-line capability has been
restored, I'll look for better directions to the "Fallen Soldiers" section (also captioned "In the
Arms of an Angel"), if it still proves elusive.
3) SYCAMORE STREET BRIDGE TO BE REPLACED - TAKE ALTERNATE ROUTES!
The Mass. Highway Department and its contractor, S.P.S. New England, are gearing up to
replace the temporary Bailey bridge over the railroad tracks under Sycamore Street with a
permanent structure. They will start as soon as Verizon completes the rearrangement of its ducts
in that location. Verizon's work was to have been completed in early May, but still appears to
be ongoing.
Willoughby Street, between Sycamore and Central, will be made one way, westbound, for the
duration of construction. Traffic on Central Street will - well, use your imagination. Personally,
I could have lived with the existing bridge on Sycamore until the Lowell Street bridge was ready
to open, to ease traffic congestion and already severe queuing on Central during rush hours, but
I sure wouldn't ASK the state to delay another bridge project, once they've committed.
If you have questions, call City Engineer Charles O'Brien at 617-625-6600, x5410, or
email him.
4) DAVIS SQUARE FARMERS' MARKET RE-OPENING....
On Wednesday, May 25, 2005, from noon until 6 pm, with hours extended to 6:30 pm during
the height of the season (July). The first markets of the season are good for buying healthy
plants, some cut flowers, limited hot-house grown produce (lettuces, tomatoes), honey, baked
goods, locally made cheese, and other goodies.
Starting June 11, 2005, Somerville will have a second Farmers' Market. Saturdays, from 9 am
to 1 pm. Union Square will host 15 vendors in the plaza near the SCAT building. For more
information about the market, or the Union Square Main Streets program that is co-sponsoring
it, contact Mimi Graney.
5) MAY IS PRESERVATION MONTH! - EVENTS
Bike Tour of Historic Cambridge and Somerville: Sat., May 21, 10 am to 1:30 pm. Easy 9-mile
ride starts on Cambridge Common, ends in Union Square. Free; people of all ages, abilities, and
with children encouraged to come.
Walking Tour, Milk Row Cemetery: Tues. May 24, 6:15 to 7 pm (rain date, Tues. May 31,
same time). Meet at the Cemetery, Somerville Ave., next to DeMoula's Market Basket.
Preservation Awards Ceremony: Thurs., May 26, 7 pm. Somerville Museum, One Westwood
Road. Also enjoy refreshments and see museum exhibit; free and open to the public.
6) COMMUNITY MEETING ON BIKE PATH EXTENSION
There will be a Community Meeting on the eastern extension of the Community Path/Bike Path,
on Thursday, June 2, 2005, at 6:30 pm to 8 pm. Come to the Auditorium of the East Somerville
Community School, 115 Pearl Street to learn about the preliminary concepts coming out of the
engineering study for the extension of the Path from School Street to the North Point
development site. This meeting presents an early opportunity for public input on the project.
For more information, contact Steve Winslow, Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator, at 617-625-6600, x2519, or
swinslow@ci.somerville.ma.us.
Material from this newsletter may be quoted freely, provided that it is credited to Denise
Provost, www.provost-citywide.org
copyright 2005 Denise Provost
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