NEEDLE EXCHANGE IN N.J.

Save Lives

After years of opposition from former Gov. Christie Whitman, New Jersey now
has a governor who says he's willing to implement a needle-exchange program.

What the state apparently does not have is a Legislature willing to endorse
this simple, life-saving step.

Gov. James E. McGreevey and Health Commissioner Dr. Clifton Lacy have at
least called for a pilot needle-exchange program that would allow addicts
to turn in old syringes - 80 percent of which have been found to be
infected with the virus that causes AIDS and/or Hepatitis C - for new ones.

New Jersey is one of only five states that criminalize the possession of a
syringe without a prescription. Of those five, Pennsylvania and California
at least allow some exchange programs.

The state AIDS Advisory Councils under Whitman and former Gov. Jim Florio
called for needle exchange. McGreevey's AIDS Advisory Council meets for the
first time today and is expected to quickly make the same recommendation.
The Centers for Disease Control, the American Medical Association and the
National Academy of Sciences all say that needle-exchange programs reduce
the spread of AIDS without increasing drug use.

So what are McGreevey and the Legislature waiting for?

Intravenous drug use causes at least 46 percent of New Jersey's AIDS cases
- - the third highest percentage in the nation. Intravenous drug use is the
primary cause of pediatric AIDS. If helping heroin addicts, who routinely
share dirty needles, isn't a high political priority, how about saving the
lives of their non-drug-using lovers and children?

Two interesting things have happened in places that have allowed
needle-exchange: The number of AIDS cases has dropped - and the politicians
who supported clean-needle programs suffered no ill effects at the polls
because of their support. But most New Jersey lawmakers remain petrified of
coming anywhere near the issue.

Even worse, many opponents of needle exchange dare to frame this as a moral
issue: Drug use is wrong. Supplying clean needles to addicts "condones"
drug use. Therefore, needle exchange is wrong - even, apparently, if it
saves lives.

What's wrong with that argument? Everything.

Drug addiction is a disease. The availability of a clean needle is not
going to make someone an addict who isn't already one. But clean needles
will save lives - and money.

Treating a person for AIDS costs more than $200,000 a year. Most addicts
aren't paying for that care - the rest of us pay it, one way or another. If
saving lives doesn't sway the Legislature, maybe saving money will.