If you can convince the champion of gay conversion therapy that the program works....
Today, injection drug use — notably, of heroin — is on the rise and has led to outbreaks of H.I.V. in some communities. In response, some leaders, like Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, have reversed course and embraced the programs.
The most frequently expressed concerns about the programs are that they promote drug use and raise crime levels. But according to many studies, that isn’t so. Instead, they are associated with increased participation in treatment programs.
Syringe exchange programs “reduce not only infectious disease but also create an opportunity for people to get the care and provide a transition into treatment for people in the community,” said Michael Botticelli, director of the federal Office of National Drug Control Policy, at an event sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of northern Kentucky, a region hit hard by illegal drug use.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, seven evidence reviews for federal government agencies reaffirmed that syringe exchanges were effective, safe and cost-effective. Since then, numerous other studies of programs have replicated these results, including a systematic review by the World Health Organization and another by the United Nations. These include examination of exchange programs outside the United States, such as those in Canada and Australia.
