The City of Roseburg has banned needle exchange and distribution on public property like parks, streets, and sidewalks. This ban was created in an effort to ensure public safety, but advocates who run a syringe service program in Roseburg say it won’t deter people from drug use.
For the city, the ban is one way of protecting workers and the public from the dangers posed by needles that have been discarded after being used to inject drugs.
According to Roseburg officials, the city’s Code Compliance Officer and Douglas County work crews frequently encounter used syringes in parks. Workers have seen up to 600 needles during weekly cleanups in Umpqua Greenway, a river trail. In one instance, a police officer was poked by a syringe after someone left two bags of about 200 uncapped needles in a camp.
“The City of Roseburg is doing our best to keep our parks clean for the public, and that includes trying to ensure that citizens and staff aren’t being exposed to needles,” Police Chief Gary Klopfenstein said in a city newsletter.
However, advocates say the ban is impacting people who use the syringe distribution programs.
HIV Alliance is a nonprofit that operates a syringe exchange program in Roseburg. They also provide safe injection supplies and peer support through the program. Since the ban took effect last month, outreach workers say they’re hearing of clients reusing needles, which increases the risk of infections, Hepatitis C, and Syphilis.
Michaela Starr O’Leary, the Prevention Director at HIV Alliance, said that while the nonprofit is continuing to provide peer support, safety kits, and syringe collection, the ban has actually made people more reluctant to drop off syringes in the parks, creating an accessibility issue.
“People are really hesitant to [drop] them [off] in the parks,” said Starr O’Leary. “They bring them to the office, which is good, but, the whole point of going to the park is to meet people where they're at to make it accessible, make it more likely that they engage.”
Starr O’Leary added that the syringe distribution ban might even deter people from asking for support in the first place.
“Lots of places that don't have syringe exchange or have made it illegal still have, you know, issues with open drug use in parks,” said Starr O’Leary. “It's not going to solve that issue, to try and make it less visible. It's just gonna make sure that people feel like they can't get help.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Syringe Services Programs are effective, do not increase illegal drug use or crimes, and decrease HIV and Hepatitis C transmission.
HIV Alliance says they are working with the Roseburg Sheriff’s Office and other community partners to create a safer community.
“This is an uncomfortable, complex issue that we all wish wasn't a thing, but it is, and the only way to get through it is to keep people alive long enough to get well,” said Starr O’Leary. “All we can really do is try to keep people alive, keep them healthy long enough to hopefully help them get into treatment or better the situation in one way or another.”
