A bill that would allow the sale of syringes without a prescription now heads to the State Senate after legislators in the House approved it by an overwhelming majority, despite concerns that it could facilitate the use of illicit drugs such as heroin.
But before senators vote on the measure, they should cautiously weigh both sides of the debate, and acknowledge that though making syringes more easily accessible to drug users might stop them from using dirty and potentially disease-infested needles, it might also encourage the use of drugs, especially among young people whose only reason for not shooting heroin or other illegal drugs is the risk of being infected from used syringes. They also have to consider whether or not syringes in a more mainstream part of society might lead young people to believe that drug use is more acceptable.
The government has a duty to address all means possible to preventing the spread of infectious diseases, but also consider whether this law would increase the use of illicit drugs.
Though allowing for the distribution of condoms to minors is known to reduce the rate of infection by sexually transmitted diseases, this does not necessarily mean that distributing syringes over the counter would have the same effect of reducing the spread of disease. And though allowing the distribution of condoms may lead to more teenagers having sex, this is not a life-threatening addiction.
It is also unlikely that prohibiting the sale of syringes over the counter is going to prevent people who already use drugs from injecting themselves with unsafe needles.
Legislators should make combating drug use as much of a priority as reducing the spread of life-threatening diseases like AIDS, and must explore all avenues for doing so. They should focus on a way to fight both the spread of disease and the use of illicit drugs, rather than decide on combating one or the other.
Legislators should examine all statistics available on both the use of drugs in Massachusetts and the rate of spread of infectious diseases, and discover a way to combat both appropriately.
Massachusetts is one of only a handful of states that has not approved the sale of over-the-counter syringes. Though legislators can use other states as a model, they must concern themselves with trends in drug use in this state, and how residents would benefit – or suffer – from such a law here in Massachusetts.
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