Pubdate: Fri, 09 Apr 2004 Source: Sentinel And Enterprise, The (MA) Copyright: 2004 MediaNews Group, Inc. and Mid-States Newspapers, Inc. Contact: http://sentinelandenterprise.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2498 Author: Jennifer Fenn Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?131 (Heroin Maintenance) BILL WOULD ALLOW OTC NEEDLE SALES BOSTON -- In an effort to curtail the spread of diseases through injection drug use, some lawmakers are pushing a controversial bill that would allow pharmacies to sell hypodermic needles without a prescription. As heroin use continues to rise in Massachusetts, supporters of the bill say it's a step Massachusetts must take to help stop the spread of HIV, AIDS and Hepatitis C -- diseases commonly spread through the shared use of dirty needles. Rep. Emile Goguen, D-Fitchburg, said he's torn over the issue. On one hand, Goguen said he doesn't want drug users anywhere near Fitchburg -- including city drug stores. On the other hand, he understands the need to stop the spread of diseases associated with dirty hypodermic needles. "If you have (needles) available it's just encouraging them to do something," Goguen said. "But you're not going to stop them from using." Similar versions of the bill have been filed in the past but have failed to move forward. Walsh said he is hopeful this year because the Legislature's Health Care Committee signed off on the bill two weeks ago and it has the backing of Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. Massachusetts is one of just of four states that does not allow over-the-counter sales of needles. The other states are California, Delaware and New Jersey. Currently it is illegal in Massachusetts to purchase or possess a syringe without a prescription from a doctor or unless the person participates in one of the state-approved needle exchange programs in Boston, Provincetown, Northampton or Cambridge, said Roseanne Pawelec, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Health. "The sad thing is we have to talk about this legislation," said Rep. Martin Walsh, D-Dorchester, the bill's sponsor. "It's not something I want to be advocating for but people are dying on the streets because of intravenous drug use. It's a very difficult issue." Public health officials say clean needles will help stop the spread of blood-borne diseases. According to the Department of Public Health, 31 percent of Massachusetts residents with HIV or AIDS contracted the disease through injection drug use. "You need to keep people healthy to stop this cycle of transmission of AIDS and Hepatitis and that's one way to do it," said Pawelec. John Auerbach, executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission, said studies have shown that needle exchange programs and allowing the sale of hypodermic needles help reduce the exposure of diseases. Auerbach cited statistics from Connecticut, which showed a dramatic decrease in the percentage of drug users who shared needles after the state allowed the sale of syringes at pharmacies. "We know from data that if people aren't sharing, the likelihood of transmitting HIV is greatly reduced," Auerbach said. Sen. Robert O'Leary, D-Barnstable, the Senate sponsor of the legislation, said he doesn't know of any evidence linking easier access to needles with increased drug use. O'Leary said despite the state's laws prohibiting the sale of syringes, Massachusetts has the highest per-capita rate of heroin use in the nation. O'Leary said if addicts need drugs, not having access to a clean needle won't stop them, arguing that if the state banned corkscrews, alcoholics would still find a way to drink. "It's not a criminal justice issue, it's a public health issue," O'Leary said. "I don't think deregulating the sale of needles will do away with the sharing of needles, but it will reduce it. Anything we can do to reduce the transmission is the right thing to do." Beyond the public health issue, O'Leary said the cost of treating each patient infected with HIV costs $120,000 a year. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh