Washington city temporarily suspends needle exchange program
April 7, 2021
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Needle exchanges are a proven way to limit the spread of infectious diseases.Lynne Sladky / Associated Press
FEDERAL WAY, Wash. (AP) Officials in the Washington state city of Federal Way have passed a resolution to temporarily suspend needle exchange programs aimed at reducing the spread of HIV and other blood-borne infections in people who inject drugs.
Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell and the City Council voted on Tuesday after residents raised concerns about increased crime and needle access because of the King County Needle Exchange Program, KOMO-TV reported Tuesday. Critics of the vote argued that not having the program will make the situation worse.
Controversial needle exchange program suspended in Federal Way Tammy Mutasa, KOMO News Reporter
Controversial needle exchange program suspended in King County
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A Federal Way woman posed as a drug user and said outreach workers gave her 100 clean needles.
Now it has city officials calling for a pause on the Federal Way needle exchange program in the city.
At a meeting Tuesday of the Federal Way City Council, at least a dozen neighbors expressed concerns about crime going up and needles turning up everywhere in the community.
While others said if the program is gone for good, it will only make things worse.