The Maine Needle Exchange Program

              Prior to this presentation, I had not heard of the Maine Needle Exchange Program, so I was very intrigued to learn how it worked. From my understanding, this program aims towards harm reduction and provides individuals of the community with access to safer equipment, such as needles, syringes, cookers, tourniquets, water, and wound care kits. If a person with a substance abuse disorder were to have 100 dirty/damaged needles, they could exchange all 100 needles for new ones to use with. It was also interesting to learn about all the other programs that Maine provides these individuals with, such as the hotline that allows the person using to make sure they have emergency services respond if they were to overdose, or easier access to Naloxone (a drug administered during the event of an opioid overdose)

              Despite the positive impact this program is having on lowering the number of needle-associated infections/deaths, the rate at which individuals are using illegal substances hasn’t really changed too drastically. I am wondering if resources could be better allocated towards rehabilitation services as opposed to granting individuals struggling with addiction easier access to drugs and supplies. I understand the premise behind this program; however, I believe that other options, and perhaps more aggressive ones, might help end this drug issue we face here in the United States and Maine.