Trentonian, Trenton, NJ
Copyright: Trentonian

October 8, 1998

Dave Neese 

Saying he's speaking for the "law enforcement community," state Attorney General Peter Verniero yesterday denounced the idea of dispensing clean needles to drug addicts.

A pet proposal of liberals, clean-needle exchanges are urged as a way to reduce the spread of the HIV-AIDS virus among needle-sharing addicts.

Addicts who use needles to "shoot up" are the biggest single group of AIDS victims in New Jersey.

The state's AIDS Advisory Council favors clean-needle exchanges, and two bills in the Legislature would authorize clean needles to be dispensed at public expense.

But Verniero in a "position paper" against the bills doubted needle exchanges would achieve the goals advocate say, or that some studies have indicated. 

"In fact, most intravenous drug users die not from HIV-tainted needles, but from other health problems, overdoses or homicide," said Verniero, citing a recent University of Pennsylvania study of 415 drug addicts.

The attorney general also cited a 1997 study of a Vancouver needle exchange and a 1995 study of a Montreal exchange. Both reported sharp HIV increases in those programs, he said.

  Other studies reporting a drop in HIV as a result of needle exchanges "suffer methodological shortcomings," said Verniero.

  He contended that the clamor for needle exchanges by some AIDS activists detracts attention from the need for drug treatment efforts.

Gov. Whitman has steadfastly opposed needle exchanges. Gov. Jim Florio opposed them too. Whitman says they send the "wrong message," suggesting that drug use is okay.

President Clinton's drug czar, Gen. Barry McCaffrey, has cited the same reason in opposing needle exchanges.