Marijuana remains readily available, and recent school surveys indicate a sharp increase in use among school children in this state as compared to several years ago. Hallucinogenic drugs continue to appear in area reports involving primarily younger users. The highest rate of HIV infection locally continues to be among gay and bisexual men who inject methamphetamine. King County provides needle exchange services for heroin users to help them avoid HIV and other infections AND to facilitate entry into drug treatment programs.
King County provides prevention and treatment for people in the local criminal justice system.
King County provides education and intervention for children and youth to keep them from ever trying heroin. King County recently received a grant to expand treatment services for heroin addicts. King County has obtained state funds to continue to provide acupuncture services as a means of assisting drug-dependent people manage drug cravings and gain entry to more comprehensive treatment services. King County continues to conduct research into communicable disease risk behaviors to monitor the problems associated with sharing needles and exchanging sex for drugs. Prevention education strategies need to continue as a means of maintaining and increasing knowledge among users about the risks for transmission of disease when injecting of drugs and sharing needles.