Support the Pharmacy Syringe Sale and Disease Prevention Act (SB 1785)

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Support the Pharmacy Syringe Sale and Disease Prevention Act (SB 1785)

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

As a California voter and citizen concerned about the unfettered spread of HIV and hepatitis, I write to encourage you to support Senate Bill 1785 (Vasconcellos) the Pharmacy Syringe Sale and Disease Prevention Act. Considering that the first cases of HIV in the United States were diagnosed in California more than 20 years ago, this reform is long overdue.

Witnessing the current epidemic spread of hepatitis C among injection drug users, and the cascading infections among the sexual partners, their offspring and others who are at risk of blood contact, it feels like the early days of the AIDS epidemic all over again. Numerous scientific studies, reports and reviews, including those of the federal government and the California government concur: improving syringe access will reduce the rate of syringe sharing and suppress the spread of hepatitis C. However, like the Reagan era, elected officials today are not providing appropriate leadership in the fight against hepatitis C, preferring to remain silent while the disease rages in our communities, bringing death and suffering to California families.

Considering your experience as a health policy leader in California, I trust that you will take all the necessary steps to contain this terrible epidemic, including supporting SB 1785.

Legislation to permit the pharmacy-based sale of sterile syringes without a prescription will help reduce new cases of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis A, B, and C, and other bacterial infections, ultimately saving lives and accruing California millions of dollars in healthcare costs averted. All this can be accomplished at no cost to California taxpayers, who ask only that you remove the onerous barriers to legal access to syringes, allowing adults to spend their own money to protect their health and the health of others.

Sincerely and respectfully yours;

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
March 28, 2002

Background Information

The Pharmacy Syringe Sale and Disease Prevention Act would allow California pharmacists and other licensed healthcare professionals to provide up to 30 syringes without a prescription to persons 18 years of age and older in order to prevent the spread of HIV, hepatitis C, and other potentially deadly infections. By preventing the spread of HIV and hepatitis among injection drug users, their sexual partners, and offspring, millions of dollars in healthcare costs will be averted. Peace officers will benefit in that the likelihood of an accidental needlestick injury on-the-job will be significantly reduced. Nurses and correctional officers will also benefit in that they will be less likely to be exposed to infection on the job, if the burden of disease within the populations they work with is reduced. All this can be accomplished at no cost to government, because adults will be spending their own money to purchase sterile syringes.

* California is one of only six states that require a prescription in order to purchase a syringe.

* A recent poll of likely voters in California found that 59% supported allowing pharmacists to sell syringes without a prescription in order to stem the spread of HIV and hepatitis.

* Sharing contaminated syringes is linked to 19% of all AIDS cases in California. The link between injection drug use and HIV is particularly strong for women and people of color. In California, 37.3% of cumulative AIDS cases among women, 24.3% of cases among African American men and women and 22.4% of cases among Latinas are related to syringe sharing.

* As of 2001, there were already 500,000 to 600,000 Californians infected with hepatitis C. Sixty percent of new hepatitis C cases in the United States are attributable to dirty syringes.

* Like HIV, there is no vaccine or known cure for hepatitis C. Treatment of chronic liver disease related to hepatitis C costs approximately $20,000 a year, unless a liver transplant is recommended. A liver transplant costs approximately $300,000.

* Peace officers are at high risk of exposure to hepatitis C or HIV due to accidental needlestick injuries. A recent study found that 29.7% of San Diego Police officers surveyed had suffered a needlestick injury on-duty, usually during a pat-down or search incident to arrest.

* In the six months following a similar change in Connecticut law, needlestick injuries to police officers decreased by 66%.

* Studies confirm that increasing access to sterile syringes does not contribute to increased rates of drug use, injection, or crime.

The Pharmacy Syringe Sale and Disease Prevention Act will:

1. Repeal prescription requirements for the furnishing or sale of up to 30 syringes to persons 18 years of age or older.

2. Restrict non-prescription syringe sales such that they are made by State Board of Pharmacy licensees and State licensed pharmacies only.

3. Require that:

* Syringes be stored behind the counter in accordance with pharmacy law.

* Pharmacists provide information regarding safe disposal of syringes to each purchaser including information about new criminal penalties for improper disposal.

* The Legislative Analyst's Office provide a report recommending steps to improve the systematic disposal of syringes.

4. Allow participating pharmacies to provide:

* Information about drug addiction, including how to access treatment.

* Information on the prevention and treatment of HIV and hepatitis.

* On-site safe syringe disposal programs.

6. Create criminal penalties for the improper disposal of syringes on playgrounds and other places where children may be exposed to them.

The Pharmacy Syringe Sale and Disease Prevention Act will not:

1. Will not allow minors to purchase syringes without a prescription.

2. Will not allow anyone not currently licensed to sell or furnish syringes to do so.

3. Will not make sale of non-prescription syringes mandatory for all pharmacies.