The New Jersey Family Policy Council’s President Len Deo testified today before the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizen Committee chaired By Senator Joseph Vitale. The Committee heard two legislative bills one to allow syringe sales over the counter as opposed to the current situation which requires a doctor’s prescription and the second a bill to allow municipalities to begin Needle Exchange Programs. Although the idea of Needle Exchange Programs may sound plausible, the program’s effectiveness is dependent upon addicts behaving consistently and dependably. Not surprisingly, the efficacy of these programs has been difficult to evaluate because many studies have relied on the testimony of addicts to determine whether or not they are still sharing needles while participating in the needle exchange.  

“What is often times overlooked is the social and family related impact of needle exchange programs,” stated Len Deo, President of the New Jersey Family Policy Council and a former member of the Governor’s Advisory Council on AIDS. “Theft, hangouts for drug addicts and prostitution often follow Needle Exchange establishments. It also hampers the efforts of law enforcement officials who must now deal with the legal loopholes of those participating in needle exchange programs,” Deo added. “For those concerned parents and citizens of urban areas, the legislature may have handed down a death sentence to their efforts to clean up their streets and fight off the scourges of criminal activity that follow Needle Exchange Programs,” Deo continued.

With all the issues facing the state, especially the huge budget deficits and massive tax increases just enacted moving ahead with more programs like these is a disservice to the taxpayers of New Jersey. While the goal of reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C is a noble goal, there are other approaches to this problem. New Jersey is choosing to begin these programs just at a time when many municipalities in other states who have also implemented Needle Exchange Programs are questioning the fallout to its citizens in the areas around these facilities. For the safety of all our citizens, our state lawmakers must not legalize drug use or drug paraphernalia, in any setting, without clear, unambiguous, hard research data to support such a controversial and potentially dangerous move. “We need to follow the current course we have been on, which is to fight illegal drug use and provide more opportunities for rehabilitation for those unfortunate enough to be caught in the bondage of a drug addiction,” Deo finished.

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