Moncton needle exchange eyes rural growth

After three years operating in downtown Moncton, organizers of the city's needle exchange program believe there is a growing need to expand the initiative into rural areas outside the southeastern New Brunswick city.

So far in 2009, more than 33,000 needles have been returned to the program, said Roxanne Rupps, who runs the program for AIDS Moncton.

Rupps said along with local people, she's seeing people from communities outside the city coming to swap dirty needles for clean ones, along with other supplies.

"Usually about once or twice a month, I'll have somebody come in and they bring a big black garbage bag full of used needles that they've collected from their friends within the community and they're picking up clean supplies for everybody," she said.

The needle exchange clients are range in age from 18 to 60, Rupps said.

Debby Warren, the executive director of AIDS Moncton, said the organization is already looking to expand its services to rural areas outside the city.

'More than just a Moncton concern'

"Discussions have taken place with the staff person looking after the service out in Shediac. We've been talking with people in Petitcodiac," Warren said.

"We all recognize that it's more than just a Moncton concern."

The organization has a newly refurbished van that can take the exchange on the road.

Warren said people have to realize that drug use isn't limited to bigger cities.

"We would be fooling ourselves to stick our heads in the sand and say that it doesn't affect people in the rural areas 'cause it certainly does," she said.