Unfortunately, while Mr. Farley hopes that his actions will be a threat to the syringe exchange program, the real threat is coming in the form of the proposed 2020 Multnomah County budget, which will reduce funding for harm reduction services, including reductions in syringe and naloxone distribution. As rates of drug related morbidity and mortality continue to rise throughout the state and the country, this is precisely the time to increase access to these life-saving interventions, not the time to dial them back.

Farley's behavior is part of the global trend to remove compassion from public discourse. As society lurches to the right under the influence of a variety of demagogues, the only acceptable displays of compassion are those directed towards fertilized zygotes and powerful white men whose lives and careers might be damaged by accusations of sex abuse and harassment.

“Clients are encouraged to bring in their used syringes to safely dispose of.”

Encouraged? Really? It’s too much to ask that they be required to turn in a syringe to get a syringe? “Here, we are going to give you free paraphernalia for you to engage in your illegal activity, all we require is you find a dirty syringe and turn it in” – “That’s so unfair!!”

If Outside In can’t be a good neighbor and require a 1 for 1 exchange, then it’s time for the City and County to make their permits and funding contingent on enacting such a policy.

@3, the program is not intended as litter abatement. That's not the "harm reduction" they're working toward. Did you read the article?

Biohazards, not litter, it is actually illegal to deposit syringes in litter containers (see the Multnomah needle exchange site linked in the article). Outside In needs to start taking some little portion of accountability for dumping syringes into our community, regardless of their claimed motive. While i understand addicts by definition tend to make poor choices, the administrators of these programs are highly paid professionals who (should) know better.

I’m with The Mercury and some commenters here: I don’t care about no discarded syringes. In fact, I want MORE used syringes strewn about this city.

What about kids, you ask? Pshh! Drug addicts come first! It is they who we must cater to! If a punk kid steps on a used needle and gets some infection, it’s a small price to pay to continue this taxpayer-funded coddling of drug addicts.

More needles! More needles! More needles! Who’s with me??

I'm less interested in the concerns of junkies and their health than the health of children who should be able to run barefoot in our parks without worrying about getting the GRIDS. Everybody should be able to get on board with a 1 for 1 needle exchange (how did they even start getting called needle exchanges when addicts are not required to give a needle to get a needle?)
If this needle exchange is worrying about funding, maybe they can set up a program like Leipzig, put addicts to work picking up trash. Recycle bottles and cans. Buy their own naloxone.

@tony_bagala
Anyone who lets their children run around a park barefoot is literally being a negligent parent - besides needles, there's dogshit, broken glass and all kinds of other things (ringworm and other parasites) that any parent would avoid...and seriously, I ride all over this town doing delivery and there aren't needles all over the place as you act.

As for needle exchanges, I'd bet they collect more than they give out, and literally any needles they do collect are that many that don't end up on the street as claimed so I'm just trying to grasp the logic of blaming the exchange program for taking tons of needles off the streets.

https://www.drugrehab.com/2017/11/06/pros-and-cons-of-needle-exchange-programs/

I'd like to see hard data about how much money society saves in, say, ER costs, vs. the cost of the needle program.

Of course getting dangerous medical waste off the ground is part of the package.. "encouraged", pfft. Hell, make the trade two used for one new.

Publicity stunt with a flavor of civil disobedience (with or without quotation marks) got some attention to the situation, right?