NEEDLE-SWAP PROPONENT GETS SUMMONS

One of Colorado's most vociferous needle-exchange supporters was given a
summons for drug paraphernalia during a civil disobedience action Thursday.

Paul Simons said he wants to go to court to overturn state law that
prevents drug addicts from exchanging needles for clean syringes.

"The law puts Coloradoans at risk," said Simons, the executive director of
PEERS, an AIDS prevention organization. "It puts families at risk and
unborn children at risk."

Simons set up a card table in Denver's Civic Center with condoms and small
bottles of bleach that are distributed to addicts to clean syringes. After
a few brief statements to the press, he pulled out a handful of syringes
and was issued a summons by police charging him with two drug paraphernalia
violations.

Simons has lobbied state legislators to pass a law that would allow health
workers to provide clean syringes to intravenous drug users who turn in
used needles. The measure was defeated both times, although it was backed
this year by Mayor Wellington Webb.