The problems of injection drugs and used syringes are well-known in Saskatchewan's larger cities, but smaller northern communities are increasingly seeing them, officials say.

Last year, after a drop box for needles was put in a park in La Ronge — a town of about 2,700 people — about 1,200 needles were collected.

Workers in the town, which is about 380 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon, were also called to pick up a small number of syringes left on the ground last year.

The numbers don't come anywhere near what's seen in the bigger cities. A total of 25,000 "sharps" were picked up by the City of Saskatoon in 2008.

Even so, the northern region's deputy health officer Monika Dutt says the fact needles are being found — and that infections such as HIV are on the rise — suggests that drug use is also on the rise in the north.

Dutt said she'd like to see more drop bins, so drug users won't have an excuse to just throw their needles on the ground.

She'd also like to see more needle exchange programs — in which drug users can trade in used needles for clean ones.

"We know just from extensive evaluations that have been done of needle exchanges that they don't increase the amount of drug use, they don't increase crime in the communities, they don't increase litter," she said.

"If anything, they decrease all of those things."

Meanwhile, it's the time of year for finding discarded needles in the melting snow, Dutt said. Health officials are working to educate people about how to safely dispose of any needles they find.