from ICN news reports

Next Wednesday, November 15, the Southern Tier AIDS Program (STAP) will host an open house for their Syringe Exchange Program—the only such program that reaches rural populations in New York State.

The program has been in Ithaca since 2002 and currently serves about 155 people. Of these, about half are heroin users, according to Meredith Zaslowe, the Harm Reduction Educator for STAP, but the numbers include other injection drug users and some diabetics, too.

The goal of the program is to prevent the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C among drug users. This is accomplished through an anonymous system wherein drug users are assigned a number, and then they can come in and exchange used needles for clean ones.

"These programs have actually shown to reduce drug use among the populations they serve," Zaslowe explains. "Perhaps it's because [they're] seen as a resource for people who want to be healthy. We may also be the first place where people find out about drug treatment options."

While the Syringe Exchange Program does not offer counseling, they share resources and offer referrals to people who ask about treatment options. "If someone comes in with a question," Zaslowe says, "We will try to find the answer."

Syringe Exchange programs can be controversial, according to Zaslowe. "Some people think we are encouraging drug use, but this is really a public health issue. Syringe exchange programs in New York State show a fifty percent reduction in HIV transmission."

The open house will be held Wednesday, November 15, from 4:00-6:00 pm at 501 S. Meadow St. (across from Wegmans in the Lama Real Estate Plaza and Thai Cuisine).

To learn more about the program, go to: http://www.stapinc.org/prevention.html

To contact STAP: info@stapinc.org.