New Jersey: Five Towns Applied for Needle Exchange Programs

Five municipalities hoping to operate needle exchange programs have applied to New Jersey's Department of Health and Senior Services. After years of debate, a state law enacted in December allows up to six cities to pilot NEPs to determine whether they protect intravenous drug users (IDUs) from blood-borne diseases.

Critics maintain that NEPs will spread crime and encourage drug use, claims NEP advocates deny. To muster legislative support for the NEP bill, lawmakers included $10 million to help treat drug dependence.

Twelve cities qualify to pilot an NEP. To be eligible, the law states municipalities must have more than 350 residents with HIV/AIDS and an IDU-related HIV/AIDS prevalence rate of over 300 cases per 100,000 residents. The five jurisdictions that applied are Newark, Paterson, Trenton, Camden, and Atlantic City. They could gain state approval by summer's end.

Atlantic City's Health Department plans to use vans as well as fixed sites for its NEP. "It's been a battle, so we're glad to see it," said Ron Cash, department director.

"It's going to be crucial to saving lives of injection drug users," said Jose Quann, program coordinator of the Camden Area Health Education Center. "[IDUs] will have access to sterile syringes that they might not get infected or infect their loved ones."

In five years, the state Health Commissioner is to deliver a report to the Legislature about the status of the pilot NEPs and whether the effort should be continued and expanded.

Back to other news for May 2007