Underground Clean Needle

Stigma and racism are factors that prevent recovery

Jamie Fevario

• Started a needle exchange program in 2005

• Founder of Next Distro

  • Male and online based platform that provides people who use drugs with lifesaving supplies, education, and support

Jamie Fevario Speech

• Critics of harm reduction say that there’s the enabling of people who use drugs

• Research says that’s false, but encourages people to get help

• Started in 2005 by physically handing out needles on the street

  • Allowed people to talk openly about their addictions

  • Place where people can come to access clean equipment, as well case management, advocacy, and referrals

• Talks about the blame with big pharmaceutical companies, and media romanticism when POC were dying and affected by drug usage

• Self and societal blame with POC but kinder and more serious demand/representation with white people

Racial discrimination and segregation of drugs puts POC in prison and paints white people as victims

Needs to be a prioritization of POC and neighbourhoods