Boston politicians and health experts praised the legalization of over-the-counter sales of syringes, which the Massachusetts House passed Nov. 14, for its role in preventing the spread of fatal diseases.
Only a licensed pharmacist or wholesale druggist can sell the hypodermic syringes to people, who must be at least 18-years-old. These syringes could prevent several risks such as skin diseases and viral and bacterial infections, including Hepatitis C and HIV.
“It is critical that a good portion of people in the U.S. are still sharing needles and being contaminated,” said Director of Government Relations for the Fenway Community Health Center Eugenia Handler. “It means that it creates a threshold of people that infect themselves and are potentially infecting others.”
Handler also said that she is thrilled that the bill passed with a 115-37 vote, which makes the vote “veto-proof.”
According to AIDS Action Committee Spokesman Diego Sanchez, 47 other states already passed such legislation.
“What we found is that in the states that already have this, there was no increase in drug use and significantly reduced the amount of HIV and Hepatitis C prevention,” he said.
Councilor John Tobin (Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury) said he was disappointed that it took so long to pass the bill despite Massachusetts’s reputation as being among the earliest to legalize same-sex marriages and for creating the first public education system in the country.
“There are a lot of areas in which we aren’t as progressive as we should be because we spend a lot of time bickering,” he said. “That’s the time that we should be using to make policies.”
Councilor-at-Large Felix Arroyo said he opposes critics who argue these proposals may promote an increase in drug use. He referred to increased drug use as a “minor risk” compared to the extraordinary benefits of clean needles, particularly in preventing the spread of HIV and AIDS.
Approximately one out of every three new AIDS cases in Massachusetts is the result of injected drug use, while nearly 40 percent of those currently living with HIV/AIDS in Massachusetts were infected either through their own needle use or that of their sexual partner, Arroyo said. According to Kaiser state health facts, in 2004 Massachusetts was ranked 25th in the country for the rate of AIDS per 100,000 in 8.8 cases.
“Given these facts, this legislation clearly deserves the support of all those truly interested in reducing the spread of HIV and AIDS,” Arroyo said.
Tobin said he is pleased with the recent progression of HIV education in the Boston area and highlighted the Fenway Community Health Center, which he said is one of the first in the country to provide both HIV prevention information and a variety of medications that allow AIDS patients to live longer.
Handler described the decision as a historical moment because it has taken at least five to seven years for the legislation to go through. She also said the legislation ensures each purchase of hypodermic syringes and needles will be accompanied by an educational insert about treatment and disease prevention.
The insert will inform users about the risks of contracting blood-transferred diseases, possible preventative measures, safe methods for disposing needles and help hotline numbers.
Tobin said he’s pleased with the decision to provide clean needles and hopes the legislation will make a difference in the city’s drug problem.
“I don’t think we’re making it easier for people to inject drugs,” he said. “I think we’re looking at it proactively, trying to save lives. I’m hoping at the end of the day, they can straighten up and rehabilitate without a deadly disease.”
Vincent Lynch, director of Continuing Education at the Boston College Graduate School for Social Workers, said research proves needle-exchange programs actually increase the amount of people who enter treatment programs.
According to Lynch, programs such as these that are run effectively provide opportunities for drug addicts to be aware of available treatment.
Lynch added the problem with needle-exchange programs is that drug addicts may not consciously decide to purchase clean needles since they may already be high.
“Their thinking is impaired, so it’s not something they’re necessarily thinking through,” he said.
Lynch suggested an alternative to needle-exchange programs, which involves mobile healthcare vans going into communities where drugs are being dealt.
“Healthcare providers have to take those kinds of steps in order to be most effective,” he said.
Though these options include various ethical dilemmas, Lynch compared the situation with everyday challenges in the emergency room.
“Doctors in emergency rooms have to deal with those questions all the time. They know the patient is dealing drugs, but how much is an obligation to care for medical needs versus following the law and turning them in to the police?” he said.
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