Thursday, June 02, 2005

Multnomah County: people who shoot drugs are smart!

"Healthy People in Healthy Communities"
Needle Exchange

Needle exchange is one way to prevent HIV infection in injection drug users (IDUs), their sexual partners, and their unborn children.

People who inject drugs are at high risk of contracting HIV if they share needles. If they contract HIV, their needle-sharing partners, sexual partners and unborn children may also become infected.

In Multnomah County, the health department is committed to doing whatever we can to build healthy communities. Our mission is to aassure, promote and protect the health of the people of Multnomah County.

With all the recent heroin overdoses (such a sad loss) I thought that I would check out our local needle exchange programs to see how our tax dollars are helping people overdose in a more sterile way. What I found was much more disturbing. Apparently Multnomah County is very concerned about the unborn children of drug addicts, not so concerned as to get the drug addicts to stop shooting up while they are pregnant, just concerned enough to give them a sterile needle to inject the poison into their body.

I believe that mandatory reporting laws make this a crime. Children are being abused and instead of arresting the abuser to ensure that no more poison can be delivered to the developing child the abuser is given drug paraphernalia and sent on their merry way. This is a crime in the literal sense as well as the moral sense.

Oh wait, thankfully Multnomah County offers this thoughtful advise:

If you shoot drugs and you never share rigs, cotton, cookers or water with anyone, that's a smart move!
LINK

Yes, so smart. You usually see a direct correlation between people who shoot drugs, but don't share needles, and high SAT scores. They should put that one in a fortune cookie.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey sweetite, why don't you come on down to the family F-U-N at the Waterfront this weekend. Join the Rose Festival!

Daniel said...

I don't go to Portland unless I have to. The same way I wouldn't go to communist China unless I had to...

Anonymous said...

So you want to hide in your elitist white compound in the sprawling hellhole that is Sherwood, which is btw only 20 minutes from downtown. If you don't want to live in Portland, move to Ontario or something.

Anonymous said...

A forum for serious discussion of issues?
You've got to be kidding me.

This is a site for serious hate-filled diatribe.

Daniel said...

Writing from my "elitist white compound" in Sherwood I realize the difference that 20 minutes (from downtown) really makes.

In 20 minutes I could walk around and see used needles on the ground. Or I could take my kids to a safe park in Sherwood.

In 20 minutes I could observe men who think that it is normal to dress like women. Or I could stay in Sherwood where there are fewer people with mental disorders.

In 20 minutes I could stare at endless walls with graffiti. Or I could walk down any street in Sherwood (where lawlessness isn't tolerated) and look at a clean atmosphere.

In 20 minutes I could park my car in a high crime area. Or I could leave my car unlocked in my driveway without having to worry.

In 20 minutes I could watch people openly using drugs. Or I could stay in Sherwood where we don't tolerate that kind of thing.

I sure do like Sherwood...

Anonymous said...

What's a 'sweetite'?

Daniel said...

It's how a liberal who went to public school spells "sweetie"

Anonymous said...

"anothernanonymous said...

A forum for serious discussion of issues?
You've got to be kidding me.

This is a site for serious hate-filled diatribe."
" Anonymous said...

So you want to hide in your elitist white compound in the sprawling hellhole that is Sherwood, which is btw only 20 minutes from downtown. If you don't want to live in Portland, move to Ontario or something. "


Seems to me the only ones spewing hate-filled diatribes are you and your ilk anonymous....oh that's right...if it's from the mouths of liberal pukes like you, it is serious discussion...forgive me...I forgot......

Anonymous said...

I thought a "sweetite" was a sweetie with whom you are "tite")

Anonymous said...

Capitalism means never having to deal with undesirables if you have enough money.

TheDuncan said...

Terry C,
Capitalism means everyone has the same ability to improve their lives. But I moved out of Portland many years ago becuase I did not like the direction it was headed. This decision did not take any mony, just common sense. Good decisions about how to lead your life do not take money.