Editing Needle and syringe programmes (section)

=== Australia ===
The Melbourne, Australia, inner-city suburbs of Richmond, and [[Abbotsford, New South Wales|Abbotsford]] are locations in which the use and dealing of heroin has been concentrated. The Burnet Institute research organisation completed the 2013 'North Richmond Public Injecting Impact Study' in collaboration with the Yarra Drug and Health Forum and North Richmond Community Health Centre and recommended 24-hour access to sterile injecting equipment due to the ongoing "widespread, frequent and highly visible" nature of illicit drug use in the areas. Between 2010 and 2012 a four-fold increase in the levels of inappropriately discarded injecting equipment was documented for the two suburbs. In the surrounding City of Yarra, an average of 1,550 syringes per month was collected from public syringe disposal bins in 2012. Paul Dietze stated, "We have tried different measures and the problem persists, so it's time to change our approach".<ref>{{cite news|title=Syringe machine push for addicts in Melbourne's heroin hot spots|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/syringe-machine-push-for-addicts-in-melbournes-heroin-hot-spots/story-e6frg6n6-1226646482548|access-date=20 May 2013|newspaper=The Australian|date=20 May 2013|author=Lucie Van Den Berg}}</ref>

On 28 May 2013, the Burnet Institute stated that it recommended 24-hour access to sterile injecting equipment in the Melbourne suburb of [[Footscray, Victoria|Footscray]] after the area's drug culture continued to grow after more than ten years of intense law enforcement efforts. The institute's research concluded that public injecting behaviour is frequent in the area and injecting paraphernalia has been found in carparks, parks, footpaths, and drives. Furthermore, people who inject drugs have broken into syringe disposal bins to reuse discarded equipment.<ref>{{cite news|title=Drug experts propose needle vending machines for Footscray|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/west/drug-experts-propose-needle-vending-machines-for-footscray/comments-fngnvmj7-1226651497633|access-date=29 May 2013|newspaper=Herald Sun Maribyrnong Leader|date=28 May 2013|author=Bridie Byrne}}</ref>

A study commissioned by the Australian Government revealed that for every [[Australian dollar|A$]]1 invested in NSPs in Australia, $4 was saved in direct healthcare costs,<ref name="ROI">{{cite web |date=2009 |title=Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of needle and syringe programs in Australia |url=https://www.acon.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Evaluating-the-cost-effectiveness-of-NSP-in-Australia-2009.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323160725/https://www.acon.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Evaluating-the-cost-effectiveness-of-NSP-in-Australia-2009.pdf |archive-date=23 March 2023 |access-date=4 April 2023 |website=ancon.org.au |publisher=Australian Department of Health and Aging}}</ref> and if productivity and economic benefits are included, the programs returned a staggering $27 for every $1 invested. The study notes that over a longer time horizon than that considered (10 years) the cost-benefit ratio grows even further. In terms of infections averted and lives saved, the study finds that, between 2000 and 2009, 32,000 HIV infections and 96,667 hepatitis C infections were averted, and approximately 140,000 [[disability-adjusted life year]]s were gained.<ref name="ROI"/>