Manitoba news: discarded needles causing problems in communities [Video]

Two Manitoba municipal leaders want action from the province to deal with they describe as an alarming number of needles turning up in rural communities.

Swan River Mayor Lance Jacobson said needles are littering his community, as well as The Pas. He said over the past year, more than 500,000 needles have been handed out in harm reduction programs in his community of around 5,000 people. 

He described this as alarming.

“We need to see change if this program of needle distribution continues, which, in my opinion, it should not,” Jacobson said.

He said a needle exchange program is needed, along with the distribution of retractable needles.

“The biggest thing is a plan of rehabilitation for those individuals, which we just recently learned that there is no plan for rehabilitation,” Jacobson said. “This is alarming, and we need to call for action.”

This was one of the problems discussed at the Association of Manitoba Municipalities …