Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report - Politics and Policy

Needle Exchange Programs
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Worcester, Mass., City Council Votes To Oppose State Bill That Would Allow Rules, Regulations on Needle-Exchange Programs

[May 20, 2005]

The Worcester, Mass., City Council on Tuesday voted 8-3 to oppose a state Senate bill (SB 1272) that would allow the state Department of Public Health to establish rules and regulations for the implementation of needle-exchange programs in the state to reduce the spread of bloodborne diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C, the AP/Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports. The council said that it opposes the measure because it would "remove local legislative control from the decision-making process" for implementing needle exchanges, according to the AP/Telegram & Gazette. "Local control is something that is so important to our democracy, but sometimes the folks at the state level in Boston take it for granted," council member Juan Gomez said, adding, "We don't need big brother telling us what to do. We know better than the state as to what is better for our community." However, council member Dennis Irish said the bill would establish community advisory boards that would address local issues before a needle-exchange program is implemented, according to the AP/Telegram & Gazette. "The issue is not needle exchange and drug users; it has to do with this city's high rates of HIV and hepatitis B and C," Irish said. The council defeated 7-4 a motion by Irish to refer the issue to a committee. The Worcester City Council twice has defeated measures to establish needle-exchange programs in the city (AP/Worcester Telegram & Gazette, 5/18).

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Paterson, N.J., Will Not Apply for Pilot Needle-Exchange Program, Mayor Says

[May 20, 2005]

Paterson, N.J., Mayor Joey Torres on Tuesday announced that the city will not apply to establish a needle-exchange program to reduce the spread of HIV and other bloodborne diseases among injection drug users, the Bergen Record reports (Meagher, Bergen Record, 5/18). Former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey (D) in October 2004 signed an executive order allowing up to three cities in the state to establish needle-exchange programs. The order declares a "state of emergency" until Dec. 31 and authorizes the state health department to administer needle-exchange programs in cities that meet specific requirements. The state invited nine cities -- Atlantic City, Camden, East Orange, Elizabeth, Irvington, Jersey City, Newark, Paterson and Trenton -- to apply for programs. However, so far only Atlantic City and Camden -- both of which last year adopted ordinances creating needle-exchange programs -- have volunteered to implement state-run programs (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 5/3). Torres, who opposes needle exchanges, said that the city's health officer and the county's HIV planning council favor needle exchanges. However, he did not apply for a pilot program because he did not have the "input of his constituents," according to the Record. By missing the May 6 application deadline and failing to apply for the program, the city may have "lost its chance" to host needle exchanges in the future, the Record reports. Paterson is the state's third-largest city and has the third-largest number of HIV/AIDS cases in the state, more than one-third of which are attributed to injection drug use, according to state Department of Health and Senior Services statistics (Bergen Record, 5/18).

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