ACCORDING TO THE NEEDS SOLUTION TEAM, 14,620 NEEDLES HAVE BEEN DISCARDED IN PUBLIC OVER THE PAST 4 1/2 YEARS IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY. SYDNEY FISHMAN HAS MORE FOR KSCO.
VOICER: SANTA CRUZ COUNTY TOOK OVER AND IMPLEMENTED CHANGES IN 2013, BUT SYRINGES HAVE BEEN FOUND AT MANY BEACHES. MORE THAN 550 NEEDLES WERE FOUND LAST MONTH. ONE 6 YEAR OLD CHILD MISTOOK A SYRINGE FOR A THERMOMETER AND PUT IT IN HER MOUTH, ANOTHER 11 YEAR OLD CHILD STEPPED ON A SYRINGE ON SPRING STREET WHILE SWIMMING IN A LOCAL POND. EVEN IF ADULTS AND CHILDREN DON’T GET SICK, THEY OFTEN NEED TO BE TESTED TO MAKE SURE THEY DIDN’T CATCH ANYTHING. THE GIRL WHO PUT THE SYRINGE IN HER MOUTH WAS TESTED FOR HEPATITIS B AND C.
OQ…….STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAMS CAN REDUCE POLLUTION, AND JASON HOPPIN, A SPOKESMAN FOR SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, HAS STATED THAT THE COUNTY HAS STOPPED ALLOWING DRUG USERS TO GET NEEDLES WITHOUT TURNING IN AN EQUAL NUMBER OF USED ONES.
