B & I went for a little walk in the rain to the corner grocery store, with some puddle jumping & toddler exploration along the way. As I was convincing her not to squeeze in behind the mailbox, I realized what she'd seen that interested her: a discarded needle. She hadn't been able to reach it--probably what the drug user was thinking when they put it back there--so I snapped a pic & called it in when we got home.
In case you ever find a sharp lying around somewhere, here's what to do:
- Don't touch it or pick it up
- Call the Needle Pickup Hotline: 604.657.6561
- Describe exactly where the needle is located so it can be found easily
- If you prefer to email, the Needle Pick-up Email is: needlevan@phs.ca
The Community Pick-up Van will be there to recover and dispose of it safely. The hotline offers rapid needle recovery service 7 days a week, 20 hours a day, between 7am & 3am.
The last time I found a needle in our neighbourhood was nearly two years ago, but it's worth saving the Needle Hotline number. Put it into your mobile phone now so you can call right away if needed. Here's hoping you won't find a discarded syringe in your travels, but until we have more needle exchanges, safe injection sites like InSite, supportive housing & all the other needed social programs to support drug users, this is the reality in Vancouver.
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