CITY COUNCIL OPPOSES STATE-MANDATED NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAM

On May 17, the Worcester City Council voted 8-3 to oppose a state Senate
bill that would mandate needle-exchange programs across Massachusetts. The
council passed a separate resolution explaining it was against the bill
because it would remove local legislative control from the decisions
involved in setting up the exchanges.

"Local control is something that is so important to our democracy, but
sometimes the folks at the state level in Boston take it for granted," said
Councilor-at-Large Juan A. Gomez. "We don't need a big brother telling us
what to do. We know better than the state as to what is better for our
community."

But Councilor-at Large Dennis L. Irish pointed out that the bill calls for
the creation of community advisory boards that would address local issues
prior to implementation of a needle-exchange program. "The issue is not
needle exchange and drug users; it has to do with this city's high rates of
HIV and hepatitis B and C," said Irish. "This is a problem that affects
women and minorities disproportionately."

Just four communities in Massachusetts operate needle-exchange programs -
Boston, Cambridge, Northampton, and Provincetown. Worcester has twice voted
down an exchange, most recently in 1999.