On Tuesday, the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors gave health and public safety officials three months to agree on how to implement the county's first needle exchange program. The board authorized the program three weeks ago. It will allow intravenous drug users to exchange dirty needles for clean ones and purchase up to 10 needles at pharmacies without a prescription.

But county health and law enforcement officials are at a stalemate as to how to set up the program. Law enforcement's aim to reduce illegal drug use has clashed with the health department's goal of lowering the incidence of blood-borne diseases like HIV and hepatitis. "The best hope is intervention, treatment, and rehab," said county District Attorney Gerry Shea. "Goals are not met by allowing people to use drugs."

Law enforcement officials noted emergency teams may have to respond to more overdose cases. They also suggested that exchange clients sign a form saying they are not violating parole terms.

However, public health officials say such a stipulation defeats the program's purpose since it could scare away clients. Most data show that exchanges effectively reduce disease transmission and do not lead to more drug use or safety concerns such as improperly disposed needles.

The closest needle exchange program, in Santa Maria, takes in up to 200,000 needles per year, 15 percent of which come from San Luis Obispo residents.

Back to other news for March 31, 2006

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