Don’t Needle Exchange Programs increase dirty needles in our community?
An American study on NEPs needle return rates worldwide in 2004 determined that NEPs are relatively successful in taking in used needles. Worldwide, the return rate of used needles is 90%. (Ksobiech, K., 2004) The higher the return rate the less time dirty/used needles are in circulation in the community, the greater the likelihood that injectors are using sterile new needles more often and the lower the probability that injectors are sharing injection equipment.
