From Charleston Gazette-Mail:
Unsurprisingly, a study published this week from Johns Hopkins University has found that shutting down the syringe exchange program operated by the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department has increased the risk of the spread of diseases like hepatitis and HIV and will likely lead to more drug overdose deaths.
Closing the program was part of a one-two parting shot from former Mayor Danny Jones’ administration, whipping up unnecessary fear and increasing the stigma attached to drug users. The other part of that combo punch was Jones and his officials falsely inflating the number of homeless people in Charleston, attempting to criminalize and demonize them, instead of helping them.
Now, Charleston can see where going with fear and prejudice, rather than medical science and basic human decency, lands you. …