Syringe Sales to be Considered in an Assembly Committee

Monday  the Assembly Health Committee will debate and vote on a bill that allows the limited sale by pharmacies of hypodermic syringes and needles without a prescription in order to make them more accessible to New Jersey residents seeking to protect their own health, and to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C and other blood borne diseases.

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If the bill were to become law a licensed pharmacy would be able to sell a hypodermic syringe or needle, or any other instrument adapted for the administration of drugs by injection, to a person over 18 years of age without a prescription if sold in quantities of 10 or fewer and pursuant to a prescription issued by a person authorized to prescribe under State law if sold in quantities of more than 10. A person who buys a hypodermic syringe or needle pursuant to this bill and sells that needle or syringe to another person is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree (which is punishable by imprisonment for up to 18 months, or a fine of up to $10,000, or both).

This has been a polarizing issue in the past and there’s no reason to believe it won’t be on Monday. Expect passionate arguments from those who support the bill and those who are adamantly against.

I’ll be on vacation until December, so this will be my last blog until then.