PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — A new proposal for a needle exchange program is sparking a huge debate in Placer County.
An application has been filed with the California Department of Public Health for the county to have a home delivery and pickup syringe program. The application was submitted by Safer Alternatives Through Networking and Education or “SANE.”
The Placer County Sheriff, Probations and town of Loomis sent a four page opposition letter to the organization, citing other cities with similar initiatives.
A similar needle exchange site exists in Sacramento off of Del Paso Boulevard.
According to the letter by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, they don’t want any organization providing needles to drug users.
They say the dirty needles do not have to be turned in so it doesn’t fix the problem of coming across the needles in community settings.
The opposition letter directly mentions programs in the city of Santa Ana that led to thousands of needles on the street.
The sheriff also claims this undermines years of efforts by the department against the drug epidemic. The letter goes on to suggest having needle collection, but not redistribution in the county.
"The Placer County Sheriff's Office is adamantly opposed to any program that normalizes and promotes illegal drug use in this County," the letter said.
This is all happening months after the Placer County District Attorney’s Office became the first to get a murder conviction for a fentanyl drug dealer.
“The proposed hypodermic needle distribution program in Placer County currently under review by the California Department of Public Health is troubling for a number of reasons. First and foremost, this program undermines the tremendous efforts of Placer County to combat the effects of illicit drug use in our community. The wholesale acceptance of illicit, and oftentimes deadly, drug use in our community runs counter to our robust educational, preventative, and rehabilitative efforts that are currently saving lives. Additionally, the application for Placer County lacks sufficient information and transparency for our community members and officials to have a meaningful debate about the efficacy of this proposed program. This proposal will create serious adverse consequences for our residents. The District Attorney’s Office wholeheartedly supports the distribution of lifesaving resources such as Naloxone, but the indiscriminate distribution of hypodermic needles goes too far. For these reasons, I oppose the proposed needle distribution program in Placer County," said Morgan Gire, Placer County District Attorney in a statement.
The application SANE filed with public health said those in the program will have access to their medication assistance program.
They will deliver to Lincoln, Auburn, Loomis, Rocklin and Roseville Tuesday through Saturday 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
ABC10 reached out to SANE for comment but have not heard back.
Public comment is still open until midnight Sept. 21 and a comment form with the Department of Public Health is still available for residents to give their opinion.
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