# Needle Exchange



## union1 (Sep 18, 2002)

Has anyone seen an increase in the Needle Exhange usage in this state as of recently? Does anyone have any pointers on how to get around the needle exchange card to make the arrest? I frankly think its a bullshit law and cant believe that this back asswards state even enacted this farce. Isnt there a limit to the amount of needles one can carry under the blanket of this card? Last night I grabed a guy with 5 needles and a crack pipe (very little if any residue) and couldnt do a damn thing...... Im blaming Kennedy.


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## Deuce (Sep 27, 2003)

I thought it was up to the respective city/town to legalize needle exchange programs. Even Worcester with all of our super cool heroin junkies has denied it...


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## RedstoneRocket (Nov 26, 2003)

Let them have needle cards. Sometimes its one of the only ways you can get some kind of ID on the person. If you know how to read the cards, you can tell if the person is giving you bogus info. Besides they are junkies, they are going to use no matter what, I'd rather them have a "clean" needle. Not for them, but for myself.


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## union1 (Sep 18, 2002)

RedstoneRocket said:


> Let them have needle cards. Sometimes its one of the only ways you can get some kind of ID on the person. If you know how to read the cards, you can tell if the person is giving you bogus info. Besides they are junkies, they are going to use no matter what, I'd rather them have a "clean" needle. Not for them, but for myself.


All you can get off the cards is the mothers first 2 letters of the name


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## RedstoneRocket (Nov 26, 2003)

The cards give you their birthday and their mothers maiden name. Now, if they are giving you a false information about their identity, you can assume the card is not theirs and that would be PC to arrest on the needle alone. If they are giving you legit info and there is no warrant, oh well, get them next time with the good stuff. Unless they had an uncapped needle they didn't tell you about, that becomes another story.


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## union1 (Sep 18, 2002)

RedstoneRocket said:


> Unless they had an uncapped needle they didn't tell you about, that becomes another story.


keep goin with that... im going to claim ignorance on this


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## USMCTrooper (Oct 23, 2003)

where does it say on the card that it is legal to possess a needle with heroin or other controlled substances inside (dirty needle) ? Last I knew it was still illegal to possess heroin. If I can see a whitish substance in the syringe its _probably_ heroin _cause_ they arent shooting up flour...


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## bpd145 (Dec 1, 2002)

My thought... 

Where there is a needle there are drugs.

We have a bit of a warning to the junkies. We advise them, nicely, that if we find an uncapped needle anywhere and we get stuck, we perform a blood test to see if there are any drugs, diseases, ect present in the needle. We also tell them that it will be done, right there and then, with any means possible. They usually get the hint.


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## Irish Wampanoag (Apr 6, 2003)

Union,
there was case law on this issue with the needle exchange law. The case name escapes me right now, but anyway it says all cities and towns have to accept the needle exchange cards as a valid document even in a city or town which does not have a needle exchange program. I forget which city in the case law arrested a junkie for a needle+syringe but the person had a needle exchange card from either Cambridge or Boston which was on his person, but the agency still arrested him for said charges. In the Commonwealth's case the arresting agency claimed they did not have or support a needle exchange program in their city therefore the arrested was in violation regardless of their needle exchange card. The Assachusetts courts wrote that a "Needle Exchange Cards" are/is valid in every city or town irrespective where the person gets the exchage card. Remember the jukie has to have on his person a needle exchange card. I personally had to let go at least a half dozen junkies who shot up their dop in our bathrooms, because they produced a Needle Exchange Card. Several others I arrested, only to have them dropped because they produced a needle exchange card at court. You can only hope you find drugs when you encounter incidents like this. Your other question about the limit of needles I believe is 10 but thats only a recommendation by the NE program not MGL. Take it as this, like the other members say its a form of ID to identify someone and they are going to do drugs regardless.Dont sweat yourself over a to bit junkie loser.
Has any department found an increase in heroin usage. I remember it use to be taboo for someone to resort to heroin but these days its all to common. A fix of heroin now is cheaper then a six pack of beer. WTF putting a needle in your arm to get high I dont care how cheap it is WTF. :doze: :wl: :uc: P:


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