States and Localities Should Decide How to Use Federal HIV Prevention Funds

NEW YORK, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ Americans believe that cities and states
and not the federal government should decide whether federal HIV
prevention funds can be spent on needle exchange programs, according to a
recent Harris poll commissioned by the Lindesmith Center. The poll, which
surveyed 1,003 American adults by telephone from October 15 through 19,
found that 71% of American adults agree that current law should be changed
so that decisions on how to use federal funding for HIV prevention programs
be made by states and localities rather than the federal government.
Currently, federal law bans the use of federal HIV prevention funding, for
needle exchange programs.

Numerous studies have concluded that needle exchange programs dramatically
reduce the spread of HIV and do not encourage drug use. Needle exchange
programs are supported by the American Medical Association, the National
Academy of Sciences, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the
American Public Health Association as well as other prestigious medical and
public health organizations. In addition, the American Bar Association and
the U.S. Conference of Mayors have urged the federal government to allow
states and localities to use federal HIV prevention funds to implement
needle exchange programs.

"The U.S. is virtually alone among advanced, industrialized nations in
prohibiting the funding of needle exchange programs," said Ethan Nadelmann,
Director of the Lindesmith Center. "Americans want crucial decisions about
funding for needle exchange and other HIV prevention efforts made at the
state or local level, not in Washington."

This poll coincides with the release of the Lindesmith Center's Syringe
Availabilily, a concise and comprehensive review of data on needle exchange
programs and pharmacy sale of syringes. Based in New York, the Lindesmith
Center is a drug policy research institute that concentrates on broadening
the drug policy debate. The Lindesmith Center is a project of the Open
Society Institute. Founded by philanthropist George Soros, the Open
Society Institute promotes the development of open societies around the
world through projects relating to education, media, legal reform and human
rights. The founder and director of The Lindesmith Center is Ethan
Nadelmann, J.D., Ph.D. , author of Cops Across Borders: The
Internationalization of U.S. Criminal Law Enforcement (Penn State Press,
1993) as well as numerous articles on drug control policy in leading
scholarly and popular journals.

The following pages include a summary of key findings, poll questions and
contact information for further comment.

LOUIS HARRIS POLL ON NEEDLE EXCHANGE

Summary of Key Findings

Across party lines, Americans believe state and local governments should be
able to decide whether to use federal HIV prevention funds for needle
exchange programs:

72% of Republicans, 70% of Democrats and 74% of Independents agree that
states and cities should be allowed to make decisions concerning the
funding of needle exchange programs.

Even those who oppose needle exchange believe current law should be changed:

69% of those who oppose needle exchanges agree that decisions on how to
use federal HIV prevention funding should be made at the state and local
level.

Few Americans are familiar with needle exchange programs:

Only 45% of those surveyed said they were "somewhat familiar" or "very
familiar" with needle exchange programs. 55% said they were "not very
familiar" or "not familiar at all" with needle exchange programs.

Familiarity breeds support:

58% of Americans who claim to be familiar with needle exchange programs
support such programs.

More Americans support needle exchange than oppose:

When first asked if they favor or oppose needle exchange programs, 44%
of those surveyed favored needle exchanges while 42% opposed.

When informed of which organizations support such programs (the American
Medical Association) and those who oppose (the Family Research Council) 50%
of Americans support needle exchange programs while 45% oppose.

Compared to previous polls on needle exchange programs:

Support for needle exchange programs was similar to that found in polls
conducted annually from 1995 to 1997 by Peter D. Hart Research Associates
(4650% support needle exchange programs).

A poll on HIV and AIDS commissioned by the Kaiser Foundation in 1996
found 66% of Americans support needle exchange programs.

An April 1997 poll commissioned by the Human Rights Campaign and
conducted by Tarrance Group and Lake Sosin Snell & Associates found 55% of
Americans support needle exchange programs.

The only poll conducted which has found opposition to needle exchange
programs was commissioned in 1997 by the Family Research Council and found
62% in opposition to needle exchange. That poll, however, presented needle
exchange programs and treatment as either/or choices.

LOUIS HARRIS POLL ON NEEDLE EXCHANGE

Poll Questions

Question 1:

Now I'd like to ask you about needle exchange programs which are intended
to help reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS. How familiar are you with these
programs which have been implemented in a number of cities across the
country very familiar, somewhat familiar, not very familiar, or not
familiar at all?

Very familiar 9

Somewhat familiar 36

Not very familiar 31

Not familiar at all 24

Doesn't know *

Refused *

Please answer the following questions based on what you may have seen, read
or heard about.

Question 2:

Do you favor or oppose needle exchange programs?

Favor 44

Oppose 42

Don't know 13

Refused 1

Question 3:

The American Medical Association and other medical and public health
organizations have endorsed needle exchange programs as an effective means
of reducing the spread of HIV without encouraging drug use. Other
organizations such as The Family Research Council oppose needle exchange
programs believing that such programs encourage drug use and that they are
not effective, in helping to control the spread of HIV or AIDS. Based on
this information, do you favor or oppose needle exchange programs?

Favor 50

Oppose 45

Don't Know 4

Refused 1

Question 4:

Currently, the Federal government provides states and localities with
funding for a number of HIV prevention activities. However, these funds
may not be used to support needle exchange programs. It has been proposed
that current law should be changed so that decisions on how to use Federal
funding for HIV prevention programs be made by states and localities rather
than the Federal government. Do you agree or disagree with this proposal?

Agree 71

Disagree 25

Don't Know 3

Refused 1

LOUIS HARRIS POLL ON NEEDLE EXCHANGE

For Further Comment:

National 0rganizations: Researchers:

American Medical Association Dr. Peter Lurie

Lydia Steck, Director of Communications University of Michigan

3124644430 Institute for Social Research

3139360552

American Bar Association

Tina Lanier Dr. David Vlahov

2026621792 Johns Hopkins School of

Hygiene & Public Health

American Public Health Association 4109551848

David Fouse

2027895676

U.S. Conference of Mayors

Mike Brown

2028616708

American Foundation for AIDS Research

(AmFAR)

Dr. Arthur Ammann, President

Brad Kalos, Director of Communications

2126827440, ext. 210

National Alliance of State & Territorial

AIDS Directors

Joe Kelly, Julie Schofield or B.J. Harris

2024348090

SOURCE The Lindesmith Center