SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Orange County’s first and only needle exchange program has shut down after Santa Ana city officials denied its permit application.
Kyle Barbour, co-founder of the Orange County Needle Exchange Program, said the nonprofit’s application was denied by the city in mid-January.
The Orange County Register reports the city contends the move was necessary because officials believe discarded syringes littering the streets pose a public health risk.
Needle exchanges seek to provide drug users with clean needles to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, like HIV and hepatitis C.
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Barbour says the exchange is working on how to get back up and running because it feels needle exchanges are a crucial public health service.
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Information from: The Orange County Register, http://www.ocregister.com