Idaho state cracks down on harm reduction

In Idaho, the Idaho Harm Reduction Project gave out specialized information on how to safely use drugs, along with the tools to use drugs safely. They handed out clean needles and clean pipes. The police raided its facilities in Boise and Caldwell in February, because they had “drug paraphernalia” on site, and because they openly discussed distributing this “paraphernalia.”

The next move by the anti-drug user reactionaries was an effort to repeal the syringe service program approval process, impacting all services that might exist in Idaho. State Rep. John Vander Woude introduced a bill that would delegalize the syringe service programs, which would invariably cause increases in overdoses and result in HIV, HBV (hepatitis B virus), and HCV transmission. Vander Woude — who is not an expert on drug use, addiction and recovery — wants a “better” system that would not include syringe exchange or harm reduction help.

Nothing coming from the likes of Vander Woude would be an improvement. Politicians like him, who do not care about drug users, want to crush every effort to aid them. Revolutionaries, activists and users (in recovery or not) need to remind these reactionaries that drug users are human beings who need help, not chastising, and that providing safe works and information saves lives. Idahoans are dying at a higher rate than ever, and they need the programs that provide the help their particular situations demand.