"Concerning" Rise in Needles

[Loki2u]

You must have excellent vision to be able to spot that number of 1/2 inch # 9 needle (about the same as thin thread) in the sand and grass while walking past the area.

WADR, as a person who has watched for needles for the last two years on my daily walks through the park, beach and downtown area I seriously doubt the validity of the numbers of needles that you profess to have found on a daily basis. It seems to be more than everyone else in town combined, including the #9 needles disposed of in the many disposal receptacles.

I'm wondering if you are confused about what people are finding or are considering needles? Not speaking for anybody else here, but I believe they are finding the whole "rig" which includes NOT just the 'needle' portion, but the plunger, barrel, and needle.

I don't think anyone here is claiming to spot just the 1/2" 'needles' anywhere. As you said, they would have to have pretty decent eye sight for that.

I work at a treatment facility and am very familiar with "needles". I could easily go downtown to well known areas and come back with a dozen rigs in less than an hour.

[Donald G]

by Farmmaa » 1 minute ago

I'm not sure exactly why you are so angry/distrusting of those of us who do in fact come across these needles and syringes on a weekly basis.
Everyone who picks them up and disposes of them helps make our spaces safer....it's not a competition to see who is more familiar with the size, make and gauge of hypodermic needles.

WADR I know how many addiction connected needles and syringes there are left laying about in PUBLIC areas of Kelowna. VERY FEW. I know how many larger syringes and needles there are left lying about in Kelowna. Quite a few.

Ever since the completely inaccurate picture of the huge 10 CC syringe and huge #4 or 5 needle appeared in the Castanet article people are continually quoting what the article said. Castanet got the information from the City Office who unknowingly gave out completely inaccurate and distorted figures.

KELOWNA DOES NOT HAVE A HUGE NEEDLE HEALTH PROBLEM.

No one has yet given me one example of a person contracting any disease as a result of stepping on a needle in Kelowna.

[Farmmaa]

WADR I know how many addiction connected needles and syringes there are left laying about in PUBLIC areas of Kelowna. VERY FEW. I know how many larger syringes and needles there are left lying about in Kelowna. Quite a few.

Ever since the completely inaccurate picture of the huge 10 CC syringe and huge #4 or 5 needle appeared in the Castanet article people are continually quoting what the article said. Castanet got the information from the City Office who unknowingly gave out completely inaccurate and distorted figures.

KELOWNA DOES NOT HAVE A HUGE NEEDLE HEALTH PROBLEM.

No one has yet given me one example of a person contracting any disease as a result of stepping on a needle in Kelowna.

Well, you have three people who have posted just today about how many needles - the right needles and syringes - we are finding on a regular basis..plus yourself. I'd say that is too many right there.

I've never seen larger syringes or needles laying around anywhere - at least not since I left the farm years ago.
As I said earlier, I have no idea why they would be...but I really doubt people are finding them around town.

Perhaps dirty needles don't seem like a health problem to you...but I can darned sure tell you that I'm not real keen on stepping on or getting jabbed with one.
Health problem, probably not....safety concern...most definitely.

[Donald G]

Unread postby Farmmaa » Yesterday, 11:24 pm

Health problem, probably not....safety concern...most definitely.

I think we can agree on your latest comment. Needles should be viewed in the same category as many other safety concerns that we should keep in mind while motoring, biking or walking around in the Kelowna (or any other) area.

No more and no less.

[Loki2u]

I think we can agree on your latest comment. Needles should be viewed in the same category as many other safety concerns that we should keep in mind while motoring, biking or walking around in the Kelowna (or any other) area.

No more and no less.

What other safety concerns would you be comparing them to? Cracks in sidewalks? Potholes? Lack of bike lanes?

Not sure about you....but last time I tripped over a pothole, there was a pretty good chance I wouldn't contract Hep C or HIV.

Safe injection sites and needle exchanges such as those in the LML aren't designed to reduce the amount of rigs on the street, they're to prevent the rapid spreading of infectious diseases such as those mentioned prior.

I'm not saying we need to raise the alarms to have everyone walking on eggshells trying to enjoy their strolls in the park, but I view them as both a health and safety concern.

[Donald G]

Unread postby Loki2u » Today, 5:22 pm

What other safety concerns would you be comparing them to?

1. Broken glass on beaches and park areas;

2. Accidents involving perestrian and bikes and vehicles;

3. Being the victim of any one of a huge number of crimes;

4. Food poisoning;

5. Communicable diseases;

6. Falls;

7. Any one of 100 other ways that people can harm themselves.

According to medical stats 0.09 % of hard core addicts who use needles have Aids. That is less than 1% of addicts.
The evidence also indicates that you would have to be punctured by 10,000 needles on average to contract AIDS because of the small percentage of contaminated needles carrying the AIDS virus and the relatively large number of AIDS "contacts" you would have to have before contracting AIDS from a contaminated needle.

Please make yourself aware of the information before making wild statements about the probability of contacting diseases from needles in Kelowna.

As I have asked others and never received a reply, "Name me one instance where a non addict has contracted AIDS or Hepatitis A to F in Kelowna from a discarded needle.

How many deaths and permanent injuries have people in Kelowna suffered as a result of the 7 items I listed.

[Loki2u]

1. Broken glass on beaches and park areas;

2. Accidents involving perestrian and bikes and vehicles;

3. Being the victim of any one of a huge number of crimes;

4. Food poisoning;

5. Communicable diseases;

6. Falls;

7. Any one of 100 other ways that people can harm themselves.

According to medical stats 0.09 % of hard core addicts who use needles have Aids. That is less than 1% of addicts.
The evidence also indicates that you would have to be punctured by 10,000 needles on average to contract AIDS because of the small percentage of contaminated needles carrying the AIDS virus and the relatively large number of AIDS "contacts" you would have to have before contracting AIDS from a contaminated needle.

Please make yourself aware of the information before making wild statements about the probability of contacting diseases from needles in Kelowna.

As I have asked others and never received a reply, "Name me one instance where a non addict has contracted AIDS or Hepatitis A to F in Kelowna from a discarded needle.

How many deaths and permanent injuries have people in Kelowna suffered as a result of the 7 items I listed.

Well I tell you what....I would happily have any of the above 7 things happen to me before I stuck a used needle into my skin, whether purposefully or accidently.

And if you're so confident.....perhaps you'd volunteer to step on one?

[Donald G]

Unread postby Loki2u » Today, 8:42 pm

Well I tell you what....I would happily have any of the above 7 things happen to me before I stuck a used needle into my skin, whether purposefully or accidently.

And if you're so confident.....perhaps you'd volunteer to step on one?

Since, as a Cop working the street drug scene I have been poked, bit, punched, been spit on and had to trade body substances with hard core addicts several hundred times over 32 years. I have NEVER contacted a communicable disease from any one of them. Nor has any other cop that I know of.

WADR you really do not have a clue in hell what you are talking about. You can assure yourself that unless you involve yourself in trading body substances or drug ingestion equipment with hard core addicts you have an extremely small chance of contacting any communicable disease. You are confusing theory with reality.

[one wheel]

On Castanet News today the headline read - Needles On Beach, Walkway & also had a photo of many needles laying there.

I think the photo is a total fake ? It looks like someone took a sharps container & dumped it out along with other items they may have inserted & then took the picture ?

How many people would there be in order to use this many needles in one place ? Just where were the police or security while all this was happening ?

The report of a floating needle ? Could a needle actually do that for more than a minuet before sinking ?

I say BS !!!!

[pennje97]

Making bad choices in life always leads to bad consequences. That's how life works. That's how people learn. That's how people decide that they don't like bad consequences and need to change there ways. But our brilliant city decided to take the consquences away.... and to foot the bill with our money to provide needles and "safe" injection sites.

I have spent the better part of decade telling my kids that drugs are dangerous... and to never do them. But now were telling everyone it's safe and here is where you can do it safely?????? I find the very term offensive.

So now all across the valley everyone knows that if they come to kelowna and congregate they can do drugs safely and we will even provide the equpment to do so. Free. And if they should screw that up we will use all our resources to send 1st responders to revive them from there overdoses again and again and again. Sometimes same person several times a week. Because drugs are safe here. And the rest of us law abiding citizens are happy to work more hours.... to pay the higher taxes.... to promote safe use of drugs... in the downtown area of kelowna that we used to enjoy going to, but now don't want to as it no longer safe or clean. Good plan. And now that we are seeing how badly this plan is failing.... why is no one correcting the course on this vessel. Is the captain intoxicated too?

[Silverstarqueen]

To be accurate, let's call them "Safer" injection sites then. I think our advice to young people can be nuanced enough to explain that doing drugs is not "safe", but if someone is already addicted, there are safer and worse ways to do it. If nothing else the injection sites provide a teachable moment if you are driving by and your child asks what it's about.