By Armchair Mayor

Note to Interior Health – the needle situation is unacceptable

Aug 15, 2018 | 6:56 AM

KAMLOOPS — LISTENING TO INTERIOR HEALTH representatives at Tuesday’s City council meeting, I waited for signs that when it comes to the growing problem of dirty needles, they get it.

I’m still waiting. I don’t question Interior Health’s expertise, or its sincerity in wanting to do something about drug problems, but needle cleanup just has to be moved higher up on its agenda.

Chief medical health officer Dr. Trevor Corneil emphasized the fact that harm reduction strategies are just one pillar in the plan to deal with drug issues. He said the primary focus is on increasing access to treatment and decreasing the stigma of drug use.

He emphasized the importance of reducing communicable disease.

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And while acknowledging public concerns about the improper disposal of dirty needles and agreeing that more needs to be done, he said focusing on needles detracts from other aspects of the issue.

Furthermore, needle exchange programs have proven to be ineffective, he said.

Asked if Interior Health assumes full responsibility for the improper discarding of used needles, Corneil replied, “No, it’s a shared responsibility.” All stakeholders have to work together, he said.

That’s reasonable, but it’s also fair to point out that of all levels of government, local governments have the least financial clout to deal with the issue. The big bucks reside upstairs.

It’s also fair to say that local government is the least well equipped to handle social problems. Harm reduction and other strategies aimed at doing something about drug deaths come under Interior Health’s tent, and Interior Health should do its duty in fixing the mess created in communities from the fact it hands out 257,000 needles to addicts in the Kamloops region in a single year.

If other communities are finding answers, as IH contends, then IH needs to do more to proactively identify what those solutions are, and do something about it.

To borrow from Mayor Ken Christian, the current situation is simply “not acceptable.”

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.