... Vending machines selling condoms, needles, syringes and the drug substitute methadone have been installed in more than 30 public restrooms in Taipei City, some of which are near schools, making them easily accessible to students, Taipei City councilors Yen Sheng-kuan (顏聖冠) and Hung Chien-yi (洪健益) said.
The packages, which cost NT$20, come with instructions from Taipei City’s Health Department, the councilors told a press conference.
1. That perhaps also explains why i keep finding used needles in the park. That worries me more than that students will buy them.
... Yen Muh-yong (顏慕庸), a division chief at the department, said installing the vending machines was part of the central government’s program to combat the spread of HIV.
Under the program, several hundred distribution points have been set up across the country to provide syringes and methadone, which is used by recovering drug addicts.
The goal is to ensure drug users have access to clean needles to prevent the spread of HIV and to offer anti-addictives used in quitting drug use, he said.
2. I will need persuading about the methadone. I find it hard to believe you can buy it from vending machines. Or did i misread this?
3. What's wrong with needle exchange programmes? Too labour-intensive?
Department of Health data shows that about 80 percent of Taiwan’s HIV cases are related to drug use, [Yen] said.
... He said the department would remove the vending machines from seven public restrooms near schools and would place warning labels on the remaining machines to prevent confusion over their contents.
link to Chinese-langauge article (here) [thanks to The Shad]
台北市信義區的永春國小附近，被發現自動販賣機公然販售注射針頭和保險套，距離不到1分鐘路程的公廁裡，只要投10元，就能買到一整包針頭和保險套。原為政府宣導預防愛滋、掃毒，遭外界質疑，現在卻成了治安死角。。。
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