There are fears of an increase in blood-borne viruses after reports that all of the ACT's needle and syringe vending machines have been either consistently empty or not functional over the past few months.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
According to one Canberra man, who asked not to be named, the six machines — which form part of the territory's needle and syringe program — have been largely out of action for months.
"While needles can be obtained at most pharmacies, not-functional users generally aren't welcome and functional users would rather maintain their veneer of conformity," he said.
"As you can imagine, there are some 'less discerning' of this exclusive clique who have taken to retrieving discarded sharps and sharing the same needles."
When The Canberra Times attempted to use the machines, two were unavailable due to vandalism, while the others appeared to be empty, taking the $2 coins without providing the needle and syringe pack.
The ACT's needle and syringe program is a harm minimisation strategy that seeks to reduce the spread of infections — such as hepatitis and HIV — among people who inject drugs, and the wider community.
Needles and syringes are available through the program for free at health centres throughout the territory, for a small fee at a number of pharmacies and the vending machines.
A Hepatitis ACT spokeswoman said the vending machines were commonly used and were an important part of the territory's needle and syringe program.
"It's really concerning to see this happening because the machines are a really key part of the strategy," she said.
"Our understanding is that a significant number of people do use the machine service.
"We are a secondary service but certainly people do report they use them out of hours and on the weekend.
"There are also barriers around stigma which leads people to use them, but as much as anything it's just around access to services that aren't open 24 hours a day."
The Canberra man with knowledge of the use of the service said any continuation in the interruption of the vending machine service would have "dire" consequences.
"Needles are being retrieved from sharps bins, re-used, and shared, with the potential for progress in the fight against the spread of associated diseases like hepatitis-C — gains that have taken years to realise — to be effectively undone overnight," he said.
"Whatever the cause, it’s vital that this service be restored forthwith, as the cost to the community of its continued absence doesn’t bear thinking about."
The vending machines were introduced permanently more than a decade ago after a year trial found overwhelmingly positive outcomes.
"The [vending machines] are serving both the usual clients of the other outlets for sterile injecting equipment — community pharmacies and NSPs — and others who are reluctant to use such outlets or find them inconvenient," the trial's report said.
"The out-of-business hours provision of sterile injecting equipment through the [vending machines] is a particularly welcome innovation."
The trial showed that between February 4, 2005 and January 31, 2006, 11,267 fit packs were sold from the then four syringe vending machines.
There are now six vending machines across the territory.
Directions Health Services chief executive officer Bronwyn Hendry said the organisation was investigating ways to improve the vending machines, including by making them tamper proof and providing more products.
She said the empty vending machines would be refilled within 24 hours and vandalised machines fixed as a priority.
“It is financially difficult for the service provider when they keep getting vandalised but they have not indicated they intend to stop it," Ms Hendry said.
An ACT Health spokeswoman said the government was committed to providing sterile injecting equipment as a key harm minimisation strategy.
Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy manager Chris Gough said vending machines often presented a challenge to maintain but provided an essential service.
He said it represented a broader problem with NSP services across the country and the lack of prioritisation of effective services.
"They often get vandalised and drug users often get the blame when in fact it's often members of the broader community who are seeking money or people who have a problem with NSPs in general," he said.
