Health authority says Prince George needle buyback program could cause harm

Barry Boehmerhas raised $10,000 to start a needle buyback program in Prince George, but the health authority says there's noevidence theseprograms are effectiveandcan even cause harm.

In recent months, used needles have turned up in public places, and in one instance, in the front yard of a residence.

• Spike in crime, homelessness in Prince George linked to some wildfire evacuees

Needle buyback programs seek to ensure used needles aren't left in public spaces by having people return them to a specified location in exchange for a small amount of money. Vernon and Kamloopseach started an independent, volunteer-run needle buyback program this summer, exchanging needles for fivecents each.

Boehmer, who worked in the financial industry for four decades,hopes he can motivate people to return used needles in Prince George with a similar program.

Buta spokesperson for the Northern Health Authority saysbuyback programs canlead to more needle pricks as people scramble to find them and are more likely to handle them in an effort to return them in exchange for money.

"There's a lot of unintended harms and consequences that can occur from implementing this type of program in a community," said ReanneSanford, the regional nursing lead for harm reduction withNorthern Health.

Northern Health's Harm Reduction Clinic supplies what are called Sharps containersfor safe disposal of needles found by members of the public, but Sanford says some people might be tempted to break into sealed disposal containers in order to make money from the buyback program.

Sanford says that could lead to increased drug litter and damaged container integrity.

"We're trying to keep people safe from harms associated with needle use so a program like this actually ends up working to put people at further risk."

• Health organizations request public needle disposal boxes in Leamington

Sanford says the health authority has been working to increase distribution of clean needles, but she says people may return unused needleswith the prospect of making money on them.

Hundreds of thousands of needles distributed

Northern Health recovers 90-95 per cent of the needles it distributes through its needle distribution and recovery program. Sanford says that doesn't necessarily mean the remaining needles are left in public places, but that they can be dropped in public dropboxes, pharmacies and washrooms.

Sanfordsays 450,000 needles were distributedin 2017 in Prince George.

That's a point that weighs heavily on Boehmer.

"It makes me cry. One girl, 50 needles a day, you know, that's somebody's kid."

Inspired by Kamloopsbuyback program

Boehmer got the idea for the buyback program after seeing a Facebook post about a Kamloops program that gave five cents for each needle returned.

He pledged$2,000 toward starting a similar program in Prince George. Other donors followed suit and soon there was $10,000 pledged.

Interior Health also had concerns

However, Kamloops' local health authority has also raised concerns about the buyback program there.

• Kamloops volunteers launch program to keep needles off the streets

A spokesperson said the same risks of increased needle pokes and vandalism of disposal containerswould have to be addressed before Interior Health could get behind a local buyback program.

Interior Health Medical Health Officer DrSilvinaMema said she isn't against a buyback program, but the plan must be safe.

Read more from CBC British Columbia