The health, safety and well-being of New Jersey residents are being compromised needlessly by legal restrictions that result in black-market sales of hypodermic syringes and a proliferation of discarded dirty needles in our communities.

The state's overly restrictive approach with respect to the distribution, handling and disposal of syringes is rooted in an outdated and discredited belief that easy access to syringes will somehow promote further drug abuse.

The repercussions of this approach, however, are proving profoundly detrimental to the state's interests. New Jersey's HIV and hepatitis C infection rates are among the highest in the nation and dirty needles are widely cited as the major contributing factor. Additionally, the lack of a system for collecting used, dirty needles poses a threat to children, beachgoers, sanitation workers, police officers, prison guards and emergency response personnel.

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