The Effort to Decriminalize Hypodermic Needle Sales in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts state senate voted this week to approve a bill legalizing the sale of hypodermic needles without a prescription. The house of representatives of the commonwealth had earlier approved a similar law that also stipulated the needles be accompanied by a brochure…

…created by the state Department of Public Health with information about the proper use and disposal of syringes and needles, the risk of contracting bloodborne diseases through such devices and the state’s toll-free number for HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C information. The bill also would decriminalize possession of a hypodermic needle (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 5/2). The state Senate also voted 34-1 to approve an amendment sponsored by Sen. Bruce Tarr (R) that would criminalize the act of buying needles with the intent to resell them.
To go to Gov. Mitt Romney (R) for consideration, the bill will have to be approved a couple more times in the state Senate and again in the House, the Republican reports (Springfield Republican, 6/2). Romney likely will veto the bill, his spokesperson Eric Fehrnstrom, said, adding that the governor “believes that removing prescription controls on hypodermic needles … encourages heroin use”

A classic argument: does making illicit activity safer encourage it? It’s hard to imagine the decision of whether or not to hit up the heroin being affected by the convenience of obtaining needles. Probably the same for whether the available needles are clean.
More from the press release…