NEEDLE PURCHASES LEGAL IN ILLINOIS WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION

Springfield -- Illinois addicts needing clean needles need go no farther
than their corner pharmacy, thanks to a bill signed Friday by Gov. Rod
Blagojevich.

Patients previously needed a prescription from a doctor to buy a hypodermic
needle. Now pharmacists can sell needles to anyone older than 18 who wants
them.

Opponents fear the new law will increase the numbers of improperly
discarded needles on the street.

Supporters contend that it will make needle sharing less likely. Needle
sharing contributes to the spread of AIDS and other blood-borne diseases.

"A syringe is very precious to an addict," said Beth Wehrman, program
director for Lifeguard Harm Reduction Services, a Quad-Cities organization
that among other things provides clean needles to addicts.

"Once an addict has a clean needle, they take good care of it. They clean
it. They sharpen it. They use it until it can't be used anymore. It's
not like they throw it away after one use," she said.

In fact, Peoria pharmacist Mike Minesinger said other states that allow for
non-prescription purchases of needles have had fewer problems with
carelessly discarded needles.

Mr. Minesinger, who served on a Senate task force examining the issue, said
addicts are less likely to carelessly discard needles when encountering a
police officer in a park or elsewhere if they can legally possess the needle.

He added the new law allows for a pharmacist to sell as many as 20 needles,
but it does not require a druggist to make the sale.