# Lawmakers send bill to Romney allowing open sale of syringes



## 57ragus (Jan 23, 2004)

* Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press Writer | June 22, 2006*

BOSTON --Robert Myers, whose son stumbled across two discarded syringes on a recent school trip, and Larry Day, who came down with the virus that causes AIDS by sharing dirty needles, couldn't be farther apart on the issue of legalizing over-the-counter sales of hypodermic needles.

The two spoke at competing news conferences Thursday -- one by Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey opposing a bill legalizing needle sales, the other by Middlesex District Attorney Martha Coakley and other Democrats supporting the legislation. Healey is a Republican candidate for governor, and Coakley is a candidate for attorney general.

The public wrangling came as the House and Senate gave final approval to the bill Thursday, sending it to Gov. Mitt Romney, who is expected to veto it.

Myers said he had warned his 10-year-old son Roarke to steer clear if he saw any needles during his class trip to Boston. Myers said his son took that advice when he came across two used needles in Boston Common.

"We have to be concerned with the safety not only of people who use drugs, but everyone else in society too," said Myers, a 42-year-old accountant from Chelmsford.

Day, who is HIV-positive, said if the bill had been law during the 25 years he was an intravenous drug user, he might have been able to avoid the virus.

The bill came too late for him, but could help others still in the grip of addiction, said Day, 48, who works for the AIDS Action Committee.

"I think about the people who are coming behind me, the lives that can be saved," he said. "We're not just talking about the life of the person who's using the drugs, but it's their mother, their son, their daughter."

Supporters say the bill will slow the spread of diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis C while critics say it would give tacit approval to illegal drug use.

The proposal is quickly becoming a campaign issue.

Healey said the bill would put the public at risk, especially children who might find discarded needles at the beach or in a sandbox.

"Imagine your children not only coming upon dirty needles in the park, but standing next to a drug addict in the checkout line at CVS who is there to buy more needles to feed his or her addiction," Healey said, speaking over the shouts of about two dozens supporters of the bill.

Healey acknowledged that allowing the sale of needles could slow the spread of disease, but said in this case public safety concerns are more important.

Healey also said more needles would place police more at risk of being stuck when searching suspects.

Coakley said the bill will actually make it less likely that police are stuck, since suspects will have no reason to lie about having needles.

She also said there's no evidence that allowing the sale of syringes without a prescription leads to an increase in crime and that more than a third of the people living with AIDS in Massachusetts were infected using dirty needles.

"As district attorney, I can tell you there is little or no effect on public safety," she said. "The states where needles are available have not found any increase in drug use or crime as a result of it."

Forty-seven states allow the over-the-counter sale of hypodermic needles. The bill passed by wide margins in the House and Senate.

Coakley also said that very few people are ever prosecuted for the crime of possessing a hypodermic needles


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## bbelichick (Aug 25, 2002)

57ragus said:


> Coakley said the bill will actually make it less likely that police are stuck, since suspects will have no reason to lie about having needles.


What a crock. Maybe the reason they have to lie would be the heroin left in the needle?

I'm sure lots of heroin users carry around clean needles in their pants.


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## SOT (Jul 30, 2004)

Can't buy the guns you want, but sure shoot up as much as you need.

Dumbasses.

And as we encourage these shitbirds to get another fix, when they OD and have to spend time in the hospital, who's taxes are paying for that?


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## O-302 (Jan 1, 2006)

The last time I checked, a large portion of heroin addicts committed robberies and larcenies to support their habits. Where are they getting the money to buy these "over-the-counter" needles?


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