Dade Needle Exchange Program Gets Initial Approval
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TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) - Trying to curb the spread of diseases such as HIV and hepatitis, a House panel Tuesday backed a proposal that would create a pilot needle-exchange program in Miami-Dade County.
The House Health Quality Subcommittee approved the measure, sponsored by Rep. Katie Edwards of Plantation. Similar proposals have been considered in recent years but have not made it through the Legislature.
Under the proposal, the University of Miami would operate a program that would allow people to exchange used needles and syringes for clean needles and syringes. The five-year pilot program would be funded through private donations and would not use state or local tax dollars.
While the pilot program would be limited to Miami-Dade County, Edwards pointed to other areas of the state that have problems with intravenous drug users spreading blood-borne diseases, saying it is not an issue that only affects "junkies in South Florida."
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
