700 needles found

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Approximately 700 discarded needles were found in public places in Vernon between January and June this year, according to statistics from community policing.  

That is seven times the number found during the whole of 2015.

“Right now needles are the trend (among illicit drug users) rather than pipes or foils,” said Annette Sharkey, executive director of the Social Planning Council.

During a presentation to council Monday, Sharkey said the local SHARPS action team would be mapping needle “hot spots” after a request from Interior Health.

“Finding a needle in a public place is a trauma, but the chance of transmission is incredibly low,” Sharkey assured council, adding that it was “not okay to find needles in your parks or playgrounds.”

Part of the problem appears to be a new user group that is not used to dealing with the street nurse and does not know where to safely drop off used needles.

As far as street drugs go, Sharkey said fentanyl was a huge issue.

The powerful drug can cause overdoses which are sometimes fatal unless countered with an antidote called naloxone.

“The street nurse is encouraging (drug users) to let one person go first and see what happens and have a naloxone kit available.”

Statistics show there were 40 overdoses in Vernon between Jan. to June this year which Sharkey believes is an “underestimate.”