SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) today introduced AB 2076, a bill that would (1) clarify current state policy to make clear that local public agencies may use state HIV prevention and education funds to support authorized clean needle and syringe exchange programs, and (2) grant local agencies the authority to purchase sterile hypodermic needles and syringes for authorized clean needle and syringe exchange programs, a policy currently prohibited by the state.  The bill is co-sponsored by the Drug Policy Alliance Network and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. 

“The average per-patient cost for lifetime HIV care can be nearly $200,000,” said Assemblymember Laird, chair of the Assembly Budget Committee.  “Providing local programs the ability to purchase an adequate supply of sterile hypodermic needles and syringes is essential to California's ability to protect families, further reduce the transmission of HIV, hepatitis C and other blood-borne diseases, and relieve public cost for care and treatment.”

Statistics compiled by the California Department of Health Services (DHS) reveal that sharing of contaminated syringes is linked to 20 percent of all reported AIDS cases in the state.  The DHS data suggests that 1,000 to 1,500 new HIV infections occur annually in California due to the sharing of needles.  Meanwhile, the wholesale cost of a syringe is approximately 8 cents.

"Studies have concluded that needle exchange programs suppress the spread of HIV, without contributing to increases in drug use,” said Dana Van Gorder, director of state and local policy at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.  “It is imperative that we provide resources to programs that save lives and tax dollars.”

“This legislation appropriates no new funds, but simply provides that local governments may use existing state HIV prevention money to purchase needles and syringes,” said Nikos Leverenz, Director, Drug Policy Alliance-Sacramento.

AB 2076 is expected to be heard in the Assembly Health Committee in April 2006.