Canton health officials are taking steps to create a needle exchange program to stop the spread of diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C.
City officials started working on the program following a change in state law that will now allow local health departments to create the programs.
Canton City Health Commissioner Jim Adams says the program could be an important preventative measure.
“You know, we’ve seen this exponential increase in the use of illegal injectable drugs in the community and that coupled with a large HIV outbreak in Southern Indiana last year that was traced back to injectable drug use really worries us.”
Adams says he wants to set up a four-hour window for needle exchanges every week, where users will also be able to take advantage of drug rehab programs.
He says that the details, including its funding, still need to be worked out.
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