California Department of Public Health Office of AIDS Access to Sterile Syringes: Changes to California Law Alessandra Ross, MPH InjectionUse Specialist

"Syringes can be bought over the counter in nearly every state because the policy saves lives without taxpayer expense. Mountains of research and the medical community stand squarely behind this bill.” --Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco)

AB 1743 (Ting, Statutes of 2014) Allows licensed pharmacies throughout California to sell or furnish syringes without a prescription to customers age 18 and older, and allows adults to purchase and possess syringes for personal use when acquired from an authorized source. Removes the prior limit of 30 syringes.

A Short History In the 1970s and 1980s, many states passed legislation to criminalize possession and sale of drug paraphernalia. Some states, including California, included syringes on the list. Research conducted upon the emergence of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic concluded that the policy of restricting access to sterile syringes led to sharing of contaminated syringes and significantly contributed to the spread of HIV and other bloodborne pathogens.

Impact of Restricted Syringe Access The “96 cities study” found that HIV infection rates among injection drug users were twice as high in cities that required a prescription for syringe purchase compared to cities that did not. Holmberg, SD. (1996). Am J Public Health 86:

Decriminalization of Syringes in U.S Oregon Wisconsin Connecticut Maine Minnesota Rhode Island, New York, New Hampshire New Mexico, Hawaii Washington Illinois California authorizes the Disease Prevention Demonstration Project

Results of Evaluation of the Pilot Self-reports of syringe sharing among IDUs were lower in participating counties No evidence of elevated crime rates No increase in syringe litter Decrease in levels of injection of illegal drugs No differences in needle-stick injuries among law enforcement officers.

Statewide authorization Senate Bill 41 (Yee, Statutes of 2011) allowed nonprescription syringe sale throughout the state with a limit of 30 syringes. AB 1743 (Ting, Statutes of 2014) removes prior limits on the number that can be sold and purchased.

Requirements Store needles & syringes behind the counter Provide for the safe disposal of needles and syringes through furnishing or selling one or more of these options: 1.Sharps containers 2.Mail-back containers 3.On ‑ site syringe collection

Must provide written information or verbal counseling to customers at the time of sale on how to: – access drug treatment; – access testing and treatment for HIV and hepatitis C; and – safely dispose of sharps waste Requirements

Patient Information Sheet syringeaccess syringeaccess Meets statutory requirements Can be customized

Business and Professions Code Not required to keep a log of customers Not required to check customer identification Not required to register with the county health department: pharmacies may sell syringes without prescription under their current licenses

For more information go to: syringeaccess