SKITTISH OVER NEEDLES

Supervisors Need To OK Pharmacy Sales

California hasn't exactly distinguished itself as a leader in public
health as one of the last states in the nation to allow pharmacies to
sell clean needles without a prescription. A new state law opens the
door to clean needle sales only when county supervisors give their
permission. Remember, this is second nature in pharmacies all around
the country, even in Kansas. Yet in listening to recent testimony
before a skittish Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, one would
think that clean needle sales would result in dirty needles strewn on
streets. It was embarrassing, even more so when the supervisors
pandered to the paranoia.

On a 3-2 vote, the supervisors dispatched their top public health
officer, Glennah Trochet, on a touchy-feely expedition. The
supervisors have asked Trochet to talk to officials in every city in
the county to get the officials' views about pharmacies selling clean
needles to those who could use them.

Couldn't we take a poll as well? Hey, how about an election on the
county's Web page?

A mountain of evidence points to savings to taxpayers - and no
increase in illegal drug use - by improving access to clean needles.

Perfectly law-abiding diabetics are out there who may run out of
needles on a weekend and who may not have that prescription on hand.
They could use a break. And then there are the drug addicts whom the
Sacramento County Deputy Sheriffs' Association is worried about. A
dirty needle won't stop those addicts from shooting up. But a clean
needle in the hands of a drug addict could save taxpayers up to
$40,000 a year for every prevented case of Hepatitis C.

The issue here isn't about condoning illegal drug use but preventing
the spread of dangerous diseases and saving the government money.
Pharmacists who would be participating in this voluntary (we repeat,
voluntary) program would be doing the county a great service - if
only the supervisors would let them. There are three reluctant
supervisors - Don Nottoli, Susan Peters and Roberta MacGlashan. They
will get another chance to review the evidence, listen to the medical
experts and come to a reasoned conclusion in favor of public health -
we hope. As the saying goes, we're not in Kansas any more.