NEEDLE EXCHANGE A DREADFULLY BAD IDEA … NOT THAT THE CITY CARES
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION OCT. 27-29, 2017) — Some children are going to smoke, so let’s provide cigarettes so they won’t have to break the law. Moreoever, it will give us more control over a bad situation. In the same way, some teens will engage in pre-marital sex, no matter how much we counsel against it. We should, therefore, make a mirrored-ceiling bedroom available in high schools so they can do it safely. We also know that despite incontrovertible evidence that drug use harms and kills, some people will shoot up. Let us, therefore, provide free needle exchange.
Some logic.
The local initiative to provide “free” clean needles to junkies justifies itself by claiming that it will save lives by lowering protection from the HIV virus. The stats seem to support the claim, but a key point gets overlooked when Pocahontas Progressives jump on the needle bandwagon: Most addicts who die will so not from HIV or Hepatitis C but from overdoses, collapsed veins, dope laced with poison, violence, and criminality associated with the drug trade. And what part of “free” becomes free if the bedraggled taxpayers, once more, must foot the bill without their consent?
Fact is that the needle exchange, same at the methadone clinic and the other “well-meaning” public programs designed to help addicts exist only because they make boatloads of money for the drug-treatment industry. So please let’s stop getting all Florence Nightingale here. The cynical bean counters in the monstrous heal-care field love the money. They could give two spits for the addicts.
The “free” needle exchange is a bad idea for a few more reasons. They include:
- Handing out free needles to junkies only encourages increasing drug use.
- Increasing drug use leads to more dependency.
- Junkie mothers will still deliver drug-addicted babies.
- Enabling drug addicts allows them to avoid dealing with the deeper issues that drove them to drugs in the first place.
- The cost to taxpayers.
- Only about one in four needles given away in clinics will be returned after use. Addicts aren’t the most reliable people, and the vast majority will just discard the needles after shooting up. Take a stroll through most any Pittsfield playground, public parking lot, or most any ill-lit public space, and chances are you’ll find dirty needles. Abandoned lots, homeless camps, shelters, “trouble-spot” neighborhoods, trailer parks: Make sure you don’t go a-traipsin’ barefooted. Discarded needles pose a serious public health risk that neither the Tyer Administration nor any other city office has been honest enough to admit, let alone solve. City officials simply don’t care enough to worry about citizens who are NOT drug addicts, who daily are exposed to the fringe hazards created by state-endorsed junkies. The city doesn’t care about Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski. It would rather make give addicts “free” methadone, “free” needles, and “free” public spaces where they can shoot up. You see, with moral bankruptcy, the coin of the realm comes in crooked votes.
About 30 states have needle exchange programs. Unfortunately, they have become politicized, taking them out of the realm of health care and into the electoral process. Do-gooding Pocahontas Progressives have proposed countless programs, thrown away countless fortunes, and delivered legions of treatment programs, yet the drugs continue to ravage cities. All the good intentions in the world cannot penetrate the sanctity of human free will. Junkies don’t have a disease. They make bad choices.
THE PLANET suggests one sure solution: Legalize all drugs. Let people make their own decisions and live with the consequences. Legalization eliminates the drug cartels and will not add to higher drug use. The people who are intelligent enough not to do drugs will continue their avoidance. Those who for whatever reason want to sign a premature death warrant can choose to keep on keeping on. Who cares?
God save us from the “do gooders” and their “best intentions.”
Have a great weekend, everybody.
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“PIttsfield doesn’t have a democracy. It has an oligarchy.” — Sir Tiberius Fruitjuice.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The Usual Disclaimer.
How does anyone who isn’t a multimillionaire afford to do drugs, gamble, lead a sexually promiscuous double life, and the like? I have a financially secure life, but if I engaged in any of those kinds of extracurricular activities, I would go bankrupt.
I am told that people who engage in vices end up selling drugs, stealing, selling their bodies, and the like. They end up in trouble. Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom or finding Jesus Christ to change their lives back to normal.
The other aspect of it is that the state government sells alcohol, lottery tickets, casino gambling, and receives billions in federal dollars to treat people with addictions.
People with mental health issues often self-medicate with substance abuse. Some people deal with their mental illness by gambling. Some people engage in sexual relationships. I was told that the Holy Trinity of human vices is drugs, gambling, and sex.
I agree with Dan Valenti that we, as a society, should never enable bad behavior by rewarding those who engage in vices. However, there should always be a light at the end of the tunnel for people. We, as a society, should be compassionate and offer people the help they need to live a healthy life, and people should always have their dignity affirmed.
– Jonathan Melle
I would be OK with the free needle exchange if they offered mandatory neutering for each needle exchange. According to the CDC there are thousands of crack babies born every year and the number increases each year..
If you legalize it you still have to buy it, crime will actually rise because all spectrums will want the drug and the Judges will send them free because it is now a universal addiction, and that hasn’t changed.
Dan, I agree with you that needle exchange programs are a bad idea. To add to your list of reasons why, I would add that the programs ATTRACT drug users to the city which results in higher crime rates as the addicts commit crimes to pay for their habits. I do not support legalizing drugs and was dismayed that MA legalized marijuana. In Colorado, DUI rates have risen 33% and now the concern is also innocents accidently ingesting marijuana-laced baked goods. I advocate mandatory addiction recovery programs for the criminal element – paid for by their families, or if unable to pay – mandatory community service once they have recovered. Illegal immigration also plays into this issue. Look at Boston – Mayor Marty Walsh protects illegals despite the fact that illegal Dominican immigrants are commandeering the drug trade.
Bye Bye Pittsfield. I’m so glad I sold my house and moved. It’s been a bit over 2 years and the decline has gotten much worse. I’m amazed at the changes when I do occasionally return for an event.
My God, where will the city end up in another 5 years?
None of the claims opposing exchange programs as listed in this opinion piece are substantiated in fact in any way, shape, or form. Over prescribing opioid painkillers is what causes the drug problem in the Berkshires, not providing clean needles to addicts.
Trust me, I would love to stop Medicare so all the old people would end their uselessness. Pittsfield could do a lot better without the 8,000 seniors living on government funded healthcare, housing, meals on wheels, etc.
Matt why is it you are always wrong
Still not Matt.
Yes you are.
How many times must we go over this. You don’t know me, and I don’t know you.
This city is tough on crime. Just over a week ago they had a 3 town SWAT to arrest a man with a BB gun on Elm St. He could have shot his eye out.
The city is safe, what’s a few hypodermic needles in your feet.
Trump explained all this yesterday and any kind of litter being disposed of was answered in the 70s….hell we exchange soda cans for nickles
With a mindset like yours, you are definitely part of the problem in Pittsfield.
The problem is having only stupid people calling the shots.Needle exchange is to big a proposition for the board.As the planet just confounds this board.The eagle writer is now criticizing Great Barrington raised curbs .This crowd on this board is overwhelmed by any thoughts.Berkshire Eagle pulls a Trump and lies that there were 10,000 people on Tyler.
I’m supporting Guiel and am Moon equipped. You gotta admit, we haven’t seen Morandii get it done, what has he done? your taxes are increased year by year, crime is up in Two and he cannot even read his campaign statement. What is reorganazize Kevin?vote Dina, give her a chance.
The Aging Greek God’s son George has run a needle exchange program in Cambridge, Mass, for over 20 years. He has seen positive results in that time. HIV deaths have greatly gone down. He has been a longtime pioneer of public health in Massachusetts.
Way Togo George. I’m with Planet legalize it.
deaths have gone down because treatments have been developed, that the issue of HIV infections is being avoided tells it all
If junkies can’t afford clean needles, where are they getting the cash to buy it?
A fifty million dollar lawsuit, k o o l.
I was watching the debate at B $$ the other night and thought Mr. G was lucid and on his A game, he was drinking from the water bottle that the committee gave him? When was he ever innebriated?
I have to agree Len. I saw G on TV he was a the school committee debate. That debate went for about 50 minutes. Then they seated everyone for the at large debate. This debate went for about an hour and 20 minutes. I’m guessing that G was in his seat for the school debate before 6 pm. The at large debate went until about 8:30 pm. G leaves a few minutes early and is in the parking lot where he is approached by two men who say that G smells of alcohol and tell him he shouldn’t drive. Where were these two guys
sitting during the debate? Or maybe they hang around the BCC parking smelling people at random. And if G left early why did reporter Amanda Drane leave early too and just happen to witness the two men confronting G? Was there collusion involving another at large candidate, these two men and Amanda Drane?
Also when would G have had an opportunity to drink? Before both debates? During the debates? Were the water bottles that were supplied by the debate organizers spiked?
So if the allegation is that G was drinking before both debates, and he did attend both debates. Is Drane saying that after 2 1/2 hours of sitting in the audience and on stage sipping water G was under the influence?
My guess is that someone was trying to make trouble for G because they are afraid that he might win. Either someone on the debate panel was busy texting the two guys who confronted G and maybe also texted Drane.
Maybe text messages were sent by a council member who wasn’t at the debates or maybe from an official not on the council.
It’s well know that several council members, council candidates and Eagle reporters socialize at Dotties coffee shop and they drink together at downtown night clubs. A little to cozy if you ask me.
This whole thing sounds like a get G hit piece. The guy isn’t perfect but he doesn’t deserve to be the victim of Berkshire Eagle fake news.
If fearless Freddy had any brains he’d fire Amanda Drane and her copy editor whoever that is for publishing this fake news.
Should be an interesting lawsuit going forward. I’d like to see Drane’s text messages. I’ll bet a lot of people would have a lot of explaining to do.
Did she identify the two guys who called the cops? Did they identify themselves to the cops or were the callers anonymous?
Never heard any complaints when Gerry the kegger was in the corner office. The Eagle loved him.
Or u der?
This Mayor’s campaign priority was Blight and Crime, both have failed miserably. ThePlant, in all his transparent splendor, did a film on such blight before and after the campaign, showing two notable sights Hess Forest, Kentucky Fried Chicken on East Street.What does Give?
That is CORRECT????THE PLANT!
Covanta sux as diesels the Beacon greedy old man People are go less I. This du p..
Who could disagree?
Does Pittsfield have a Plan? Or a Clue?
Please repeat, can’t comprehend the sentence.
What the heck are these secret calls to our police officers during trasmissions? check the narrative, secret b o l o, 21, sevens. And you expect the public to help?
50 million tou buffoons!
Dan, Have you heard of antifa day of rage Nov. 4th? Pittsfield is on the groups website as a place of resistance, here is a link https://refusefascism.org/. The Department of Homeland Security has classified the activities of antifa, the leftist extremist group, as “domestic terrorist org” Will people be bused in? Do they have a permit? Do we have enough police to handle any violence? Will police stand down if roads are blocked?
Good god if this is accurate how do we keep these animals out?
These groups are very violent and like to block roads and surround cars and threaten innocent drivers. They also throw water bottles filled with piss and also fill them with cement the night before to throw at police/counter protesters. We need to find out if local politicos are involved in planning this! It seems very odd that a small city like Pittsfield is on that map,all of the others are major cities.
If throwing a bottle of piss supports ridding the world of fascism, then I guess hand me a Dasani.
Haha, shows how dead and decaying Pittsfield is that it attracts flies and mold. Tyer and Wynn will probably be participating
I’m sure a lot of local politicos will be there…and I’ll be set up with my long lens to get their pics!
The site I listed above has a link to the facebook account of the Pittsfield group involved.
What is a Pocahontas Progressive?
It is a liberal Democrat of the more extreme left branch, the Elizabeth Warren branch.
According to the paper the mayor is leasing property owned by friendly Scarafoni for the school dept. Must be nice to be tight with elected officials. One big happy family in Pittsfield politics.
Remember when our former mayor moved a large part of City Hall over to the Aggie Bank Bldg. Was that Scarafoni, as well?
And we are paying a tidy sum each month for that move.
The taxpayers will be broke if these moves continue.
Sometimes people who are not actually elected actually have more say in what happens than those who are elected.
just saying sometimes that happens in OTHER communities
Yes, it was.
Hey spider there is a big building that’s going to be empty real soon. Its paid for and is already owned by the city. It has a good size garage for all the city trucks, lots of parking and lots of rooms for potential office space. An auditorium for council meetings with lots of seats for the public. A gymnasium that the city workers could use. Probably could fit all of the city’s departments under one roof including the police dept.. Only one problem, its going to be demolished.
THE PLANET has the real story on Monday.
“Earlier this year, the department moved its Student Resource Center out of leased space at St. Luke’s Square to Eagle Street. But, after moving into the fourth floor, it realized it was too small. “The space is smaller than what we left on Whipple Street the previous year and we have struggled with certain aspects of the set up of the space,” Superintendent Jason McCandless said.”
Didn’t anyone care to compare square footage and layout of the Eagle St. property before forking over any money and moving? Just so happens another bigger space is available. Yeah ok.
I feel the real reason for the move is to fill up the downtown parking lots with paying customers.
Give a successful company Covanta another 500 plus g. mayor.
Has the Mayor ever said, it is an Honor to serve as Mayor?
Eberwien and Bouvier.Tricia are on the board of the museum and there is the problem.They want money..Good luck Lenox ma.
The question for amatures in Pittsfield is if Amazon called today what are you going to say.We have next to the tracks a PEDA one of the largest buildings in New England
Excellent question by Councilor Mazzeo concerning the grant for the enhanced dispatcher position 149 g, so it is budgeted and rescinded if the grant goes through. the money budget goes into the Police account to do what they want with it. The Mayor didn’t know the answer. Incredible.
The mayor may have know the answer but did not want to discuss it in public.
It’s called musical accounts. Or, the Covanta shuffle.
Yon,how many new titles and how many new positions in the schools.Close Crosby,close Allendsle very sick buildings.Kids need well maintained old builfings.undo everything Eberwien and Amuso did..Redo Sped at PHS and Herberg lots of people doing nothing.Fire principles that do not act as leaders.Fire people that Joe Cutis hired.Joe and Eberwien cost Pittsfield 10 million in anything they did.Amuso and Yon said YES YES YES YES to any dopey idea by Eberwien….incompetent
The people of Ma. will suffer until the public unions are destroyed,IMO they have way to much political power.
So, slippery John Barrett just backed out of a debate with Christine Canning.
Wow,you listen to Hanity and Rush and Trump.Your winning the middle class is gone and hope your in the 1percent
What the hell are you talking about?
Wahconah Park still is a Lake,Big Y and entrance to Clapp Park flooded,Hess, Kentucky,Brighams and others,Blight,crazy Drivers going to fast,a traffic patterns and lights red slows down the move,ent, jaywalkers, drugs, zero enforcement. If a clown goes through the City from the Bronx, lets say,and violates traffic Law, give him/ her a citation, if you get stopped in N Y, you do get a ticket. Place Police on these roads. South,Hancock,Onota,East,North,Wahconah Dalton Ave Tyler,Elm, Merrill.