George is the “Access to Care” Program Coordinator for the New York Harm Reduction Educators based in Harlem. It is the largest Harm Reduction agency on the East Coast.

Q: How long have you been with NYHRE?

I’ve been with the agency as staff for five years- going on six pretty soon.

Q: How did you first come through the doors?

In 1997 as a participant and by 1998/1999 I became more associated with the agency and then I started part time as the community health specialist. As time passed I became more educated about Harm Reduction; I got more involved in the message they were trying to put out there.

“You would think that if you lock people up for copping they would eventually stop copping- but that isn’t working.”

Q: What is that message?

It’s a non-judgmental approach to helping people get services and entitlements they may be in need of.

It’s unique to NYHRE because we have incorporated the education and ideas of Harm Reduction all the way down to the participants. We are service oriented and the customer is always right. Whether groups, projects, funding streams- we always talk to the participants and get their input. If they are interested we try to pursue it. Usually agencies get funding for programs and then tell their clients to come in. We’ve sort of turned that around.

Q: How has working here changed your attitude about drugs?

It gave me a different take on actual drug use; it gave me another way to look at it. For many years my only knowledge was from NA or the disease model- I hadn’t heard anything else- not even Harm Reduction or things in Europe. This gave me a way to explore options.

Q: How would you describe your experience with drug use?

Chaotic. I was busy using heroin, smoking marijuana. Mostly heroin was my drug of choice. I stopped using cocaine. It’s actually been about 12 years now.

Q: How have things changed now that needle exchange is allowed?

Before needle exchange, the cops had an excuse to lock you up for the simplest things- and excuse to run you through the system. Now the waivers and cards have taken that out of their hands, they don’t have a blanket option now.

Q: Has the advent of needle exchange changed the nature of drug use in the City?

Before- I would buy on the streets. Some grocery stores would sell them. You could find places to buy on the street- but you never had a guarantee whether they were new, used, whether someone repackaged them. It was about $1/syringe, but on the lower east side they could sell $3-5 each. Sometimes people would pay up to anything because it was that hard to get it. No, it hasn’t changed the nature of drug use, but it has made it healthier by reducing infections through sharing needles- getting sick. It’s not so stressful now because you can be prepared.

Q: Are you from New York?

East Harlem and the South Bronx. I’ve been using drugs since I was 12 years old. Basically I was a street kid, hanging out. That’s what we basically did, hung out and got high.

Q: Is that what everyone did?

Not in the neighborhood, but in our group. It was just the kids we hung out with- from that part of the neighborhood- it was just coincidence.

Q: How would you describe New York City’s approach to the drug problem?

They don’t have an approach to the drug problem. They lock people up. It’s not the City that supports needle exchange, but the state government for what we do. I don’t think the City is for it- that remains to be seen.

Q: What would be your top priority if you could change one thing about the drug laws at this point?

I wouldn’t treat drug abuse as a criminal issue, but as a health issue. You can’t penalize people for using drugs. You would think that if you lock people up for copping they would eventually stop copping- but that isn’t working. I wouldn’t target users.

Q: Have you had a particular experience

Actually, quite a few. Giving people an opportunity to reduce the harm in their life at their pace, giving them the decisions. I’ve seen people who were homeless get their own apartment and get back to working, lower their drug use, get their life back together, become self-sufficient and better members of society. It’s that non-judgmental approach.

Q: Is NYHRE just needle exchange?

No- we have nine projects: referral specialists, an Access to Early Intervention Program. case management, transitional case managers, acupuncture, access to treatment counselors to get into all kinds of programs, street side psychotherapy...We’re one stop shopping. We have exchanged one million syringes in the history of the program.

We have 20,000 members and many get services that are never recorded. There are always a few people who get through without documentation. Sometimes it’s just helping people find a place to get a hot plate of food, shower, bath, etc. Too much to be counted.