Support Needle Swap Plan
The Legislature has an opportunity to approve a bill that would help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases by legalizing controlled needle-exchange programs. Assembly Bill 518 sponsored by Assemblywoman Kerry Mazzoni (D-San Rafael), which is due for Senate consideration Thursday, deserves legislative support as well as Gov. Gray Davis’ signature.
Injection-drug use, the second-leading cause of HIV transmission in California, is a primary source of infection among women who either use drugs or have sexual partners who do. Sadly, their children also suffer.
California criminalizes the furnishing, possession or use of hypodermic needles without a prescription. The bill would remove this prohibition and permit, in carefully regulated circumstances, the exchange of used needles for new ones, thus reducing the number of infectious needles in circulation. Needle exchange would be implemented only in conjunction with drug recovery and other programs. L.A.’s operational procedures would make needles available on a replacement basis only. The bill does not remove any prohibitions against the use of illegal drugs.
Needle exchange is also cost-effective. A clean needle costs less than $1, while treatment of AIDS may exceed $100,000.
This legislation would save lives. That’s why we hope that California’s leaders will do the right thing by approving it.
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