$19

The Australian government has calculated the cost benefit of their harm reduction program. The study found an average "savings per syringe distributed" of $19. In other words, each needle going out saved the Australian tax payers $19 in other costs, had the intervention not existed (i.e. AIDS treatment, etc.)

You can download a brief summary at:

http://www.anex.org.au/downloads/Fact%20Sheet%20-%20NSP%20Return%20On%20Investment.pdf

This report might be useful in your advocacy work to convince partners that providing prevention services for drug users is a worthwhile endeavor with measurable results (including savings for tax payers).

Rob