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New Jersey State Assembly Committee Approves Legislation Promoting Access to Clean Needles
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Source-http://www.kaisernetwork.org
The New Jersey Assembly's Health and Human Services Committeeon Thursday approved 7-2 two pieces of legislation aimed athelping injection drug users gain access to clean needles in aneffort to reduce the spread of HIV and hepatitis C in the state,the Gannett/Asbury Park Press reports (Stainton, Gannett/AsburyPark Press, 9/24). The first bill -- known as the BloodborneDisease Harm Reduction Act (A 3256) -- would authorize cities inNew Jersey to sponsor local needle-exchange programs that areaffiliated with hospitals, clinics or health departments andoffer additional health-related services. The second bill (A3257) would allow individuals over age 18 to purchase from apharmacy up to 10 needles without a prescription; currently, NewJersey is one of only five states that require a doctor'sprescription for needle purchases and one of only two statesthat bans both nonprescription needle sales and needle-exchangeprograms (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 9/20). A 3256 now goesto the Assembly Appropriations Committee, while A 3257 goes tothe speaker of the Assembly, who will decide whether to send thebill to the full state Assembly for a vote, according to theInquirer.
Hearing Details
More than 100 audience members were present Thursday at thecommittee hearing on the two bills, during which HIV/AIDSstatistics for the state were "cited repeatedly," thePhiladelphia Inquirer reports. New Jersey had the highest HIV prevalence rate among women last year, and the state's rate of injection drug-related HIV infections is almost twice the national average, according to the Department of Health and Senior Services (Ritter, Philadelphia Inquirer, 9/24). As of June 30, there were a total of 64,219 HIV/AIDS cases in the state, more than 33% of which were transmitted through shared needles, according to the AP/PhillyBurbs.com (McAlpin, AP/PhillyBurbs.com, 9/23). "It has taken us much too long to get to this point," Assembly member Loretta Weinberg (D) said at the opening of the hearing (Philadelphia Inquirer, 9/24). Health Commissioner Clifton Lacy said, "We find ourselves today at a critical point in the course of public health in New Jersey," adding, "We have the opportunity today to bring into our state proven methods of harm reduction and disease prevention." However, some members of the Assembly and the audience said that a needle-exchange program is not the "proper approach" to prevent HIV and hepatitis C transmission among IDUs, according to the AP/PhillyBurbs.com. According to Richard Smith, a retired epidemiologist who participated in the creation of the first public health response to HIV/AIDS, increasing access to clean needles will not stop illicit drug use. "The agenda here is to legalize drugs," he said. State Sen. Ronald Rice (D) said that by implementing needle-exchange programs, New Jersey is choosing a less expensive program over more expensive treatment methods (AP/PhillyBurbs.com, 9/23). Assembly member Eric Munoz (R) said, "Needle-exchange programs fail to address the central issue," adding, "Our focus must be on providing the public with prevention and treatment programs" (Philadelphia Inquirer, 9/24).
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