DATA SUPPORT LEGAL SYRINGE ACCESS

IN "MASS. Senate OKs sale of syringes" (Page A1, June 8), opponents
of legalizing over-the-counter sales did not produce any evidence for
their opinions. In fact, the evidence supports legalization. Our
studies have found that public discard of syringes in Springfield,
Mass., a city without any legal nonprescription access , was much
higher than in Hartford or New Haven , cities with legal access
through pharmacies.

Public discard is higher in Springfield precisely because possession
is illegal; injectors discard their syringes publicly to avoid arrest
or harassment for such possession. In fact, when legal access to
syringes was reduced in Willimantic, Conn., public discard increased.

Other studies have repeatedly found no correlation between laws
restricting syringe access and the number of injection drug users in
a municipality. No study has reported a linkage between
liberalization of syringe access and an increase in drug injection.

Clearly, legal syringe access does not send the wrong message and
thereby encourage drug abuse. Instead, it sends the right message
about protecting the health of all citizens, even those addicted to
injectable drugs.

ROBERT HEIMER

New Haven

The writer is an associate professor in the department of
epidemiology and public health at Yale University.