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"What do we tell our kids?" This ad answers the issue that opponents of needle exchange use as their primary argument against needle exchange. Now that the science shows needle exchange reduces AIDS, does not increase drug use and helps get people into drug treatment, opponents of needle exchange argue exchanges send a bad message to our kids. Our view -- tell the kids the truth, it may save their lives.

This advertisement appeared in the National Review, the The New Republic, the Weekly Standard, The Nation, Reason Magazine and The Progressive in early 2000.

Also available in Portable Document Format (PDF).
What Should We Tell Our Kids About
Drugs, AIDS and Needle Exchange?
THE TRUTH. Drugs are dangerous.
One of the greatest dangers is the spread of
HIV / AIDS. Needle exchanges prevent the spread
of HIV among drug users and the general
population where it is spread through sexual contact.
THE FACTS ON NEEDLE EXCHANGE
  • According to Donna Shalala, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, "A meticulous scientific review has now proven that needle exchange programs can reduce the transmission of HIV and save lives without losing ground in the battle against illegal drugs."

    • Source: Shalala, D.E., Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, Press release from Department of Health and Human Services, (1998, April 20).

  • "To date, nearly 40% of the 652,000 cases of AIDS reported in the United States have been linked to injection drug use. And more than 75% of babies diagnosed with HIV / AIDS were infected as a direct or indirect result of injection drug use by a parent."

    • Source: Press release from Department of Health and Human Services, (1998, April 20).

  • In 1996, 63% of the 375 new AIDS cases reported among children under age 13 were injection-related.

    • Source: Based on the number of new AIDS cases among children under age 13 for which the exposure group was known. Centers for Disease Control, HIV / AIDS Surveillance Report, (Year-end edition), Vol. 8, No. 2.
Our Children Can Understand the Truth.
Politicians should stop hiding behind children
if they oppose needle exchange.
For more information visit http://www.csdp.org.
Common Sense for Drug Policy, Kevin B. Zeese, President
703-354-9050, 703-354-5695 (fax), info@csdp.org
Download PDF
https://www.csdp.org/publicservice/whatshou.pdf