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What is the Sterile Syringe Exchange?
Syringe exchange is a public health program for drug users. It is an important component of a comprehensive set of programs designed to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne infections among injection drug users, their families and communities. Nationally, over 1/2 of all new HIV infections stem from injection drug users: 2/3 of these from sharing needles, and the rest either from unprotected sex with an injection drug user or transmission from an infected mother to her fetus or newborn child.
Syringe exchange programs provide new, sterile syringes in a one-for-one exchange for used, contaminated syringes. But syringe exchange programs are not just about syringes. They also help drug users get into drug treatment and health care and provide important risk reduction information. Other services include counseling and testing for HIV infection, distribution of condoms, and safe disposal of contaminated equipment.
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Why are syringe exchange programs offered?
Syringe exchange is one of the most effective AIDS prevention programs currently available for injection drug users who are not in treatment. Without a vaccine or a cure, prevention is the only tool we have to control the spread of HIV. Public Health runs a syringe exchange program for four basic reasons:
- Syringe exchange reduces blood-borne diseases in our communities without increasing drug use. Studies have shown decreases in both the number of persons who become infected with HIV and the number of people who get hepatitis in communities that have syringe exchange programs.
- Preventing HIV infection in injection drug users also prevents HIV in women and newborn children. Many women are at risk for HIV because of their own injection drug use or because they are sexual partners of injection drug users.
- By working with injection drug users, we can help them get into drug treatment.
- Finally, syringe exchange programs safely dispose of all contaminated syringes turned in to the exchange. This reduces the number of discarded syringes on our sidewalks and in our bus stops, yards, parks and play grounds. Our goal is to get used syringes out of circulation as quickly as possible. The longer a syringe remains in circulation, the more opportunities there are for that syringe to pass on a blood-borne disease.
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Are syringe exchange programs successful?
Yes. A recent study compared cities that had low rates of HIV infection among drug injectors with cities in which drug injectors had high rates of infection. The study found that each of the low rate cities had started syringe exchange and prevention outreach programs early in the AIDS epidemic before AIDS could get a foothold. Most cities that responded early in the epidemic by implementing comprehensive syringe exchange programs have kept infection rates among drug injectors below 5%, while rates of infection in cities like New York and Miami (where syringe exchange began late or not at all) are between 40% and 60
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Do syringe exchange programs increase drug use?
No. An independent panel convened by the National Institute of Health in 1997 concluded that syringe exchange does not increase syringe injecting behavior among current drug users and does not encourage people to begin using drugs. More recent studies confirm these findings and further suggest that syringe exchange programs are successful in attracting injectors who are at highest risk. Every syringe exchange in the United States recruits drug users into treatment.
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Does the science support the syringe exchange program?
Virtually every scientific body that has studied syringe exchange programs supports them: the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Research Council, National Commission on AIDS, General Accounting Office, National Academy of Sciences, American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association and the American Public Health Association.
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Where can I exchange my syringes?
Hawai‘i ’s syringe exchange program is operated by an organization called the CHOW Project. Please contact them to find out their locations and times. The O’ahu number is 848-2469, and the neighbor island toll-free number is 800-457-0888.
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Can the CHOW Project help me access drug treatment?
Yes. The CHOW Project can assist clients of the Syringe Exchange Program to access detoxification and long term treatment and other services. Please contact them to find out their locations and times. The O’ahu number is 848-2469, and the neighbor island toll-free number is 1-800-457-0888
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Can I purchase syringes legally in Hawai‘i without a prescription?
Yes. Hawai‘i pharmacies are permitted by Hawai‘i law to sell syringes for the purpose of preventing transmission of disease. Contact the CHOW Project or your local pharmacy for more information.
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How can I safely dispose of used syringes?
Click here for the brochure on how to safely dispose of used syringes.
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