This photo is of the sharps bin outside the health centre. I chose this specifically for this week's book.
A book I read recently
Helen Garner's Monkey Grip is my next book on the Australian list. I have previously written that I enjoy Garner's work but have been avoiding this one because I wasn't keen on the subject matter - 1970s sex, drugs and share house living. I watched this lifestyle from the sidelines at work but avoided it myself. The funny thing is not many years later those that survived the drugs ended up much the same as me -- in middle class nuclear families working our way up the career ladder.
The book was well worth reading. While it is a novel (Garner's first book) it's very autobiographical so a good record of the time. As a novel it seems plotless (more like a diary) because it is true to life, and real life typically doesn't run to a plot or have neat endings. A single mum in love (but in an open relationship) with a drug addict is not a blueprint for an easy life but there was a lot of caring support within the group.
I have only ever seen one sharps bin here and that is inside a public toilet although I know our city hasn't been spared from the curse of drug taking.
ReplyDeleteEach state will be different but I think you will find they are fairly widely available in public toilets, pharmacies, medical centres and health centres. There are a lot of people who use needles for managing medical conditions (e.g. diabetes) so these containers are not just for people using illegal drugs.
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ReplyDeleteI guess most of my growing up occurred during the swinging 1960's but somehow I managed to avoid the drug scene. The 1970's was the decade I got married and had my children, but I still managed to successfully sidestep the drug culture. Probably more good luck than good management!
The good thing is that most youth outgrow whatever they were up to at the time.
DeleteI haven't seen any other than in public toilets either, but that doesn't mean they're not out there. They are a good idea, so much better than the alternative of leaving needles around and about! Love the artwork here, would appeal to young people ✨
ReplyDeleteI like the artwork too. There is a youth centre at the other end of the street, I think the young people may have been involved in this art project as well as at the skate park and railway tunnel.
DeleteHopefully that keeps the graffiti away from it.
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen any graffiti on this one.
DeleteThat's a huge container. I use needles for (legal, expensive) medication and have a palm-sized container that snips the needles off syringes. The syringes still must also be disposed of properly.
ReplyDeleteThe needles my husband uses for medication seems to retract into the casing. As you say the syringes need to be disposed of correctly so this box is useful.
DeleteI was thinking of getting that book, being a kid of the 70´s myself. But it remeinds me of Christiane F., a true story about a girl from Berlin who was into drugs. Too depressing. In Perth I saw containers for syringes. Why would you need drugs in such a lovely place, I wonder.
ReplyDeleteAddiction is such a terrible thing and a bit depressing to read about.
DeleteAs explained above the bins are also for people on other medications as well.
I like the painted container, but I've never seen such a huge container for needles, just the ones in public toilets.
ReplyDeleteLuckily I was born in the 60's, married in the 80's and was never into drugs, sex or shared houses :)
This is the only big container I have seen. I am ten years ahead of you so in a 'high risk' group I guess but brought up to avoid such things. I remember my parents being terrified that I would join the 'radicals' at university and take part in anti-Vietnam protests and stuff - I didn't. As for sharing, back in the 70s shared living in hostels was also very common, and I lived that way - it was fun.
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