Maybe they know something in Texas we don't in North Carolina. Our brethren to the south have been wise enough to allow a syringe exchange program in San Antonio. Read about it here from the Dallas-Ft. Worth Star-Telegram. It didn't pass by a lot, and the sponsor had to back off from allowing it statewide, but at least they got something.

 
 

The Asheville Citizen-Times reported on the NC Senators disregard for established public health practice. Read the article here. Michael Harney, Director of the Needle Exchange of Asheville speaks the truth: "Until we get off our moral high horses, we are really being immoral."

Another two years of letting our citizens get infected while we know we can stop it. Our legislators, on both sides of the aisle, failed us again.

 
 

Leave it to our state legislators to put misinformation and fear before protecting the public health. Senators today voted to remove provisions that would have allowed three syringe exchange demonstration sites in our state. All this despite two decades of scientific evidence that shows that syringe exchange prevents new HIV and hepatitis, helps people get into treatment, does not increase drug use, and is cost-effective. This was a chance to SAVE LIVES in North Carolina and SAVE TAX DOLLARS, but our legislators sent us a clear message today: your life is not worth saving and we will continue to spend your tax dollars irresponsibly.

Here are details from Chris Fitzsimon of NC Policy Watch:

"Democrats and Republicans even voted together to remove the most progressive proposal in the budget, a plan by Senator Martin Nesbitt to allow three needle exchange pilot programs to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Nesbitt pointed out that the National Institutes of Health issued a consensus opinion that needle exchange programs not only reduce the HIV infection rate, they also increase the number of people in drug treatment because addicts establish relationships with the professionals in the exchange programs. The HIV/AIDS infection rate in North Carolina is increasing 20 percent a year and many of the new infections can be traced back to IV drug use.

No matter. Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand rose to endorse an amendment by Senator Steve Goss to remove the needle exchange programs from the budget and then Senator Jim Forrester, a doctor who should know better, told his colleagues that the programs "send the wrong message" and encourage risky behavior.  Better to just tell drug addicts to stop using drugs than help them protect themselves and their unknowing sexual partners.

The needle exchange provision was taken out of the budget on a 39-10 vote with Republican Stan Bingham and Democratic Senators Atwater, Cowell, Dannelly, Foriest, Graham, Jones, Kinnaird, and McKissick showing the political courage to join Nesbitt in putting people's lives ahead of political considerations."

Read full article here