I beleive that the Free needle program benefits those particular people that are using them frequently. In this country there are amny people that have fallen victim to drugs and one way of using them is through injection by needles. I do not think that free needle programs neccessarly encourage addicts to continue using the drugs I think that it helps secure there the possible transmission of deadly diseases, and that to me seems the ultimate plan of action , trying to protect others from contracting a deadly disease. According to an article in speakout.com
"As many as half of new HIV infections are caused by the sharing of injection equipment contaminated with HIV, either directly due to injection drug use, through unprotected sex with someone who acquired HIV infection through injection drug use, or birth to a mother who acquired HIV infection through these means.
An estimated three out of four AIDS cases among women are due to injection drug use or heterosexual contact with someone infected with HIV through injection drug use, and over 75% of new infections in children result from the consequences of injection drug use in a parent.
One study showed that HIV-1 can survive over 4 weeks in a contaminated syringe, remaining infectious to individuals who reuse that syringe over this prolonged period"
Programs such as free needle programs are beneficial to the community in that it does protect young children that can easily become infected if there mother is injecting herself with dirty neeldes.