Research suggests that restrictive policies, such as the proposed 100:1 policy that was floated in the Sept. 13 Press Herald, are not effective. Moreover, it is false and misleading to suggest discarded needles are a “policy afterthought.”

Indeed, three scientific studies, cited by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on needs-based syringe distribution, find that restrictive policies are likely to backfire and may increase needle waste. The CDC’s summary of the findings:

• Improperly disposed syringes “are more likely in areas without syringe service programs.”
• “More restrictive approaches do not reduce syringe litter in communities.”

It’s been more than a year since the city reenacted a restrictive 1:1 syringe exchange policy, which was against the guidance of state health authorities, against the guidance of the AMA, the largest organization of medical doctors in the U.S., and against decades of evidence that’s been published and peer-reviewed. I encourage Mayor Dion to provide the public with data showing that the policy change has been associated with a reduction in improperly disposed needles in Portland.

If nothing else, I urge Dion and all others to read the scientific literature.

Peter Andrey Smith
Portland