"Clean" Needle Exchange a Bad Idea

Last week, the Colorado State Senate seriously engaged a bill that would offer clean needles to drug addicts.

If you missed the story in the Denver Post, read it here.

This is a bad idea. Here's why.

The real issue is being avoided here: curtailing illegal drug use. I understand the public health sentiment, as put forth by the advocates of this bill.However, offering drug addicts needles will increase drug use.

For five years, I directed the downtown Denver Rescue Mission. Drug use was a common daily occurrence there. Most of the alleys in that area were filled with needles. But what these addicts needed was not a clean syringe to continue their destructive lifestyle, but counseling and support to kick their drug habits.

Most Coloradans support drug rehabilitation. Most will not support their tax dollars subsidizing illegal drug use.