STATE FUNDING APPROVED FOR CLEAN-NEEDLE PROGRAMS

New Jersey lawmakers approved a bill to allow cities across the state to participate in needle exchange programs. A pilot sterile syringe program was launched in November of 2007 in Atlantic City, to help decrease the spread of injection-related diseases, such as HIV and AIDS. Funding for the statewide program was included in the new state budget, signed by the governor Thursday night. Last year the Atlantic City needle exchange program was used by 1,500 people.