Alaska’s largest needle exchange is rushing to keep up with demand

Volunteer Zane Davis restocks alcohol swabs and other supplies at the Alaska AIDS Assistance Association’s Anchorage office. (Photo by Zachariah Hughes/Alaska Public Media)
There is an abundance of jaw-dropping numbers when it comes to opioids in Alaska. Seventy-four percent of the state’s drug overdose deaths last year are attributed to prescription painkillers or heroin. Blood-born viruses like hepatitis C are exploding, and so are healthcare costs. One calculation estimated t