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OC Syringe Exchange
Topline:
A syringe delivery and pick up program has the green light from state health officials to operate in Santa Ana. City officials strongly object.
Why it matters: The nonprofit Harm Reduction Institute can deliver clean syringes and pickup used syringes at homes, tents, RVs and other nontraditional forms of housing for two years – but not to unhoused people near playgrounds or schools.
Letter to the state: Santa Ana City leaders oppose the plan, citing concerns about syringe litter and safety. In response, the Harm Reduction Institute will conduct syringe clean-ups and education. Still, Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua says she’s “disappointed that the state health department would override our local government authority to protect our community.”
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Do syringe exchanges work? Yes. According to the CDC, participants in syringe exchange programs are 3.5 times more likely to stop injecting drugs, and 5 times more likely to enter treatment. They also help people prevent transmitting bloodborne and other infections when they inject drugs.
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