http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/05/07/dead-stupid Comments On: Dead Stupid by Dan Savage en-us Copyright 2009 The Stranger. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, The Stranger readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:01 -0800 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0800 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss To fix healthcare Obama needs to emphasize prevention over medical interventions which are incredibly expensive. Needle exchanges are the most effective form of prevention for injection drug users out there. It could be argued that IDUs are only a small handful of the population so they shouldn't be as high a priority as the general uninsured population, but the fact is that addicts run up disproportianate amount of medical costs to the general population, bills that they will never be able to pay off. This leaves hospitals to foot these huge bills which raises healthcare costs. Do you have any idea how much it costs to treat someone with a HIV/HEP C co-infection? A LOT!

Posted by stuck in boston]]> Fri, 08 May 2009 14:13:23 -0700 The Stranger
And I agree we need to tackle this issue, but we need to tackle the issue of general healthcare first.

And yeah, sure, he could just lift the ban. But what Catalina Vel-DuRay says is true. The minute he lifts that ban it's going to be like "Obama cares about junkies and not about fetus'. He wants us all to have abortions and shoot up meth".

So yeah, sure it sucks. But one thing at a time.
Posted by Original Monique]]> Fri, 08 May 2009 13:01:31 -0700 The Stranger
Less tourists sounds great to me! Where can we get more of these "junkies" you talk about?
Posted by Kill all the tourists!]]> Fri, 08 May 2009 12:54:31 -0700 The Stranger
@8 This is a chicken V egg issue. The reason that the HIV rate in KC is so low among IDUs (as it is in Boston) is because of Needle Exchanges. Europe has fewer needle exchanges than we do in America and as a result their HIV rates among IDUs is much higher. If there were no needle exchange programs (NEPs) in the states, the rates of HIV infection among IDUs would be MUCH HIGHER. Also comparing Hep C to HIV is like comparing apples to oranges, Hep C is a MUCH more robust virus and way easier to transmit. I agree the Hep C rate needs to be much lower, but the nature of the disease makes it much harder to fight. You know what would help in that fight? INCREASED FUNDING for better training and education of IDUs.

@9 Obama never proposed funding Needle Exchanges in every rural community in America, what he promised to do was LIFT THE BAN ON FEDERAL FUNDS for needle exchanges which means existing needle exchanges could increase their capacity (remember state budgets are shrinking across the nation). NO WHERE DID HE SAY he was planning on spending more federal money on NEP, only that he wanted congress to have the option to do so.

@11 You make a false correlation when you talk about programs that "deemphasize drug treatment and further drug addictions." You know what can really further drug addiction? Drug treatment when its forced on an addict. Opiate addictions are the most difficult to overcome, and forcing addicts to get clean when they're not ready just results in a) more relapses b) beds taken from addicts who are ready to commit to sobriety and c) more fatal overdoses because the addict's opiate tolerance has been lowered significantly while they were in treatment. Some addicts also use drug treatment to get high cheaper, it's called "spin drying," they spend a couple weeks in treatment, lower their tolerance to heroin, and thus can spend less money to get high when they get out.
Needle Exchange programs by contrast build up trust between addicts and health professionals by excluding a rush to treatment and judgment so that when an addict is ready, he or she can come to a exchange worker and get an appropriate and timely referral.

@24 Someday soon someone you know will have an addiction and you'll understand. Hell you might yourself. I can't tell you the epidemic of new users we're seeing, young professionals who injure themselves, get hooked on pain killers and a couple years later are "shitty-pants dirty junkies hanging around aggressively bumming off of tourists."

ALSO
Anyone who agrees that the federal government should have the ability to fund needle exchanges needs to contact their congressperson and tell them to vote and/or co-sponsor HR 179 the Community AIDS and Hepatitis Prevention Act which would, "permit the use of Federal funds for syringe exchange programs for purposes of reducing the transmission of bloodborne pathogens, including HIV and viral hepatitis."

The bill is currently languishing in committee.

Posted by stuck in boston]]> Fri, 08 May 2009 10:11:00 -0700 The Stranger Posted by guy]]> Fri, 08 May 2009 09:59:36 -0700 The Stranger Posted by Aqua Regia]]> Fri, 08 May 2009 08:29:44 -0700 The Stranger
UCK YOU AND YOUR NEEDLE EXCHANGE - KILL ALL JUNKIES!
Posted by kill all junkies]]> Fri, 08 May 2009 08:19:38 -0700 The Stranger Posted by Earth to Slog . . .]]> Fri, 08 May 2009 03:24:04 -0700 The Stranger
the list of 100 progressive demands

now, now and now, and nnnnoooowwww
and no ...

some patience is needed, really, he will be president for 8 years not 8 months

Dan Dear, has the state of Washington, THAT is where you live, has it fully funded needle exchanges? Cause. you just might look to see the status of some shit in your yard a bit as well ...

by: Still in love with O
Posted by Trucking On]]> Fri, 08 May 2009 02:36:03 -0700 The Stranger
But, chat if you must.
Posted by Supreme Ruler Of The Universe]]> Fri, 08 May 2009 00:27:35 -0700 The Stranger
No?
Posted by sepiolida]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 22:06:07 -0700 The Stranger
It's still only early May ... not even four months after his inauguration. Perhaps he's picking his battles so he can wage the wars in an effective manner. I have no idea how Capitol Hill bullshit plays out. I'm not apologizing for him either, he's gotta step up to the plate of his promises and make that shit happen to.

So let's keep the pressure on, but also understand he does have a full plate in front of him. Twenty-five things at a time, ok?
Posted by treacle]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 21:24:15 -0700 The Stranger
Savage, you may not realize, but the President has a country to run. A country in A BIG FUCKING ECONOMIC CRISIS. Your issues don't always come first. Sorry to break the news to you.
Posted by Now where is my hit?]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 21:15:27 -0700 The Stranger Needle exchange programs are great for a state platform instead of a national one. This isn't an issue everywhere. I don't think it should be ignored - especially where it can really make a difference - but it also doesn't need to be national.
Posted by Urgutha Forka]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 20:48:19 -0700 The Stranger
a needle exchange is a drug policy issue and a health policy issue. Those are issues for two seperate federal departments (least of all, who will have budgetary oversight). Such budget oversight will require coordination. Gil, The Drug Czar, just signed on this afternoon.

Smack users sharing needles with HIV+ folks will be addressed, but well, soon. Perhaps tomorrow.
Posted by Phenic]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 20:07:44 -0700 The Stranger Posted by pissy mcslogbot]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 19:56:02 -0700 The Stranger Posted by Catalina Vel-DuRay]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 19:47:04 -0700 The Stranger OMG, THERE'S GONNA BE MANDATORY ABORTIONS ON MY BIG GAY CHURCH ALTER BY LEATHERMEN and THEIR POMERANIAN DOG HENCHMEN.

o.k. cool, sounds good by me, I'll bring the Jello-with grapes and marshmallow Salad.

Posted by pissy mcslogbot]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 19:29:21 -0700 The Stranger Posted by David Wright]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 19:23:14 -0700 The Stranger Posted by kathy]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 19:18:58 -0700 The Stranger
and lasts one term, The corporate media mantra becomes "TOO MUCH CHANGE!" Scatterbrained Americans, frightened by the idea of mandatory abortions on the altar of their local church while a drag queen marries a leather man and his Pomerainian, head back to the safety and simple-mindedness of the GOP. Make way for President Palin.

Call me cautious and cynical (I am) but I'm usually right about these things. They have to make middle America comfortable about homes and jobs before tackling social issues.
Posted by Catalina Vel-DuRay]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 19:16:43 -0700 The Stranger Posted by apres_moi]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 19:11:02 -0700 The Stranger
Let's spend money working on Hep-C prevention. What sense does it make to rebuild the tranny when the engine is shot?
Posted by Rehab needs no needles]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 19:03:43 -0700 The Stranger
meh, you make too much sense, i give two popcorntubs or one syringe-ey award.

the douche in the balcony aka...


Posted by pissy mcslogbot]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 18:38:47 -0700 The Stranger Posted by Just a theory]]> Thu, 07 May 2009 18:30:39 -0700 The Stranger