Needle exchange bill in california

[chucky]

NEEDLE EXCHANGE MAKES PROGRESS IN CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE
Wed, may 10,2005
A bill that would make easier for local goverments to authorize exchange programs passed through the assembly last week and is now on the way to the senate.
The bill, AB-547(berg), amends a law at which currently requires exchange programs to be authorized pursuant to a local health emergency......An emergency that has to be renewed every two to tree weeks.This current way makes it diffucult to run N.E. organizations, and also difficult for communities where the local sheriffs don't approve of a N.E. .If the bill passes, local goverments will be able to authorize once, not every three weeks.
The bill also protects participants from incarceration for phariphenalia (syringes).In current law in is illegal to have works(syringes) on you at any time .
Will Schwarenegger veto this bill, He did last year.:cool:

[bi11i]

nalexone and republicans are the junky's worst enemy...

[chucky]

Couldn't agree with you more!Well there is one more enemy......WITHDRAWL.

[candy]

Working in Needle Exchanges myself here in Los Angeles, any changes in the current system will hurt those who use Needle Exchange. I have seen first hand how Needle Exchange, dramatically decreases the new cases of HIV/Hep C each year. My first year working with Needle Exchange, I was able to work on a research project with the CDC. We instituted peer education and who best to spread the word on safety than one junkie to another. The results were overwhelming. IMO, it is the ol NIMBY syndrome(Not In My Backyard). Lawmakers complain about the amount of money being spent on medical care for those with HIV and HCV, but are unwilling to encourage Harm Reduction. Although needles are considered paraphernalia, the cops in L.A. rarely hassle anyone leaving exchange. And to be honest they rarely are seen patrolling the areas around exchange. Speaking of laws regarding this matter, our Governor past a law last year allowing pharmacies in CA to sell syringes. In San Francisco and areas surrounding, they do sell syringes without a script, but in Los Angeles and Orange County, they will not. I called several pharmacies, including Walgreen's who claimed would sell syringes and not one would sell without a script or proof for necessity(ie; Diabetes) Like heroin use is not a necessity! Seriously, there is a great need for reform. It was after I found out I had Hep C, that I stopped sharing needles and even when I did, I always bleached. I went as far with one pharmacist who felt that selling syringes, was only encouraging drug use, to point out that selling condoms might be considered to be encouraging sex, and they sell those right there on the shelf. If condoms protect people from HIV, why wouldn't she(the pharmacist) be willing to encourage the use of clean needles to protect people from HIV/HCV. While she felt drug use was wrong, she really could not come up with anything better. In fact most of the pharmacies I contact were unaware that this law even existed. While pharmacies anywhere in CA can sell without a script, LA County and Orange County seem to feel that it is wrong and refuse to participate. IMO, it has nothing more to do then with the stigma that exists regarding heroin users.

[chucky]

It is no different in northern cali,I have tryed to obtain syringes through pharmacists, but they deny that such a law exist.....Hmmm.....I wonder if there is a lawsuit there?

[Sytch4Me]

yea here in NY i don't even get IDed half the time for syringes