So Much for "Just Say No" - New Jersey Succumbs to Peer Pressure
Posted August 3, 2007

After nearly fifteen years of political debate, New Jersey has finally succumbed to pressure and become the last state in the nation to institute needle exchange programs (NEPs). On Tuesday, state officials from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services approved a three-year pilot program to provide drug abusers in four cities with clean syringes.

As soon as September 1 and no later than December 1, individuals in Paterson, Camden, Newark, and Atlantic City will be able to obtain clean needles to support their drug habits. An additional six cities have until August 24 to apply for two remaining pilot-city openings.

According to the Bergen Record, each NEP will be required to keep track of and report “how many people participate and those referred to drug treatment, the status of their treatment and the number of syringes exchanged.” State Health Commissioner Fred M. Jacobs indicated that this information will be utilized as evidence in support of expanding the program.

Furthermore, the Kaiser Network of the Kaiser Family Foundation reports that individuals who participate in and administer the programs must carry identification cards to “protect them from being arrested for possessing drug paraphernalia.”

Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr., (D-Camden), a prime sponsor of the needle exchange law, praised the program and lauded the four participating cities as “pioneering cities [that] should be commended for working proactively to craft programs that will undoubtedly improve and benefit public health.”

This sentiment, however, is by no means unanimous among state legislators, and Assemblyman Joe Pennacchio (R-Morris) expressed concern over the message inherent in NEPs. “We’re sending out an ambiguous message to kids,” Pennacchio stated. “Don’t do drugs; but if you’re going to do it, we’ll give you a clean, safe needle so you don’t catch a communicable disease.”

As for who will be funding the programs, according to bill’s supporters, one of the concessions to NEP opponents was a restriction of state funding for the programs. Thus, the approved legislation does not provide any funding to the four cities to implement or administer their NEPs, although it does allocate $10 million to drug treatment programs.

The NJFPC has reported extensively on the compelling evidence in opposition to needle exchange programs, including the costs to taxpayers (which undoubtedly will come), the inability to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS through sexual contact and the inevitable continued sharing of needles, and the increase in drug-related crimes and resulting strain on law enforcement personnel working to prevent the same.

We have fought before and will continue to advocate for more effective measures of addressing the problem of HIV/AIDS, including rehabilitation, educational campaigns, and parental involvement.

Whereas public officials once encouraged our youth to “just say no,” apparently our legislators have proven unable to say no themselves and have instead chosen to facilitate harmful and life-threatening habits of the people they are elected to serve.

In the public testimony portions of the legislative hearings, assertions were made that private funding would be sought for these pilot NEPs, so as not to burden the people of NJ with additional costs for programs whose effectiveness is certainly suspect.

As a member of the Governors Advisory Council for four years, I saw the heated debate on both sides of this issue. The science is suspect as to outcomes, for the cohorts being measured are drug addicts who are often times high on drugs and not reliable for their consistent behaviors or ability to report back.

NJ legislators should stand firm and insist on no state funding for the NEPs. If the advocates are so sure as to their effectiveness, and the cities that are clamoring for the programs, they should be able to raise the required funding without going to the public trough.

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