CLEAN NEEDLES SAVE LIVES

THE NUMBERS are startling. More than 26,000 Californians have AIDS - and
every year another 1,000 people are added to that list when they become
infected from sharing dirty syringes. Septic needles cause 20 percent of
the state's AIDS cases: That's 37 percent of the cases in women and 24
percent in African Americans.

The hepatitis C data are just as daunting. The disease adds 3,000 new cases
a year to the estimated 600,000 Californians already infected - all due to
needle sharing, according to the state Department of Health Services.

The cost is staggering, especially in lost and disrupted lives. Taxpayers
spend millions of dollars to treat the afflicted, each averaging about
$20,000 a year in health-care costs.

Studies show this can be prevented, without increased crime or drug use, if
pharmacists in the state sold clean needles without prescriptions -- as
they do in 45 other states.

SB1159 by Sen. John Vasconcellos, D-Santa Clara, would allow the sale of up
to 10 clean syringes without a prescription to those 18 or older. The
provisions of the bill would sunset in 2008, pending assessments by health
and police officials.

Medical groups, the elderly and, according to a poll of likely voters, 59
percent of Californians, support SB1159 to save money and lives. It's
sensible policy that's working elsewhere and deserves to be tried here.