BILL WOULD ALLOW NEEDLE PURCHASES

Hoping to reduce the spread of AIDS and other blood-borne diseases, the
Illinois House voted 70-48 Tuesday to make it legal for adults to buy
hypodermic needles without a prescription.

To become law, Senate Bill 880 still needs to be signed by Gov. Rod
Blagojevich. Similar legislation has been around for years, but it has
never cleared the Senate until March.

The measure, sponsered in the House by Democratic Rep. Sara Feigenholtz of
Chicago, would allow anyone at least 18 years old to walk into a pharmacy
and purchase up to 20 needles. At present, that transaction requires a
prescription.

Opponents to the bill said it would do nothing to discourage illegal drug
use, especially by heroin addicts.

"This is a bad message that we're sending," said Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago.

After the House vote, Feigenholtz acknowledged such worries but said drug
abusers can seek successful treatment while people with AIDS cannot.