Because of the opioid epidemic, there has been an increase in the use of more dangerous substances, such as heroin and fentanyl. Many people inject the drugs into their arm, using a syringe, which has lead to an increase in infectious diseases if the needle is dirty or shared.
For decades, many states had syringe programs, but Florida was hesitant. Now—that has changed.
According to NPR, syringe exchange programs were illegal in Florida until 2016. The state legislature granted Miami-Dade the “temporary permission” to launch the program and operate for five years.
Read more to find out if a syringe program in Florida is the solution to the heroin epidemic and the spread of diseases. Also, Florida has the third-highest rate of new HIV diagnoses. Will a needle exchange program reduce drug use, and make the public safer?
Will a Syringe Program Work in Florida?
Syringe services programs (SSP) has been around for 30 years, but is new to Florida, in particular south Florida. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes SSPs below:
“Syringe services programs (SSPs) are proven and effective community-based prevention programs that can provide a range of services, including access to and disposal of sterile syringes and injection equipment, vaccination, testing, and linkage to infectious disease care and substance use treatment. SSPs reach people who inject drugs, an often hidden and marginalized population. Nearly 30 years of research has shown that comprehensive SSPs are safe, effective, and cost-saving, do not increase illegal drug use or crime, and play an important role in reducing the transmission of viral hepatitis, HIV and other infections.
CDC also explains how SSPs are effective in the following statement:
Research shows that new users of SSPs are five times more likely to enter drug treatment and about three times more likely to stop using drugs than those who don’t use the programs.13 SSPs that provide naloxone also help decrease opioid overdose deaths. SSPs protect the public and first responders by facilitating the safe disposal of used needles and syringes.”
Those who may feel ashamed or marginalized may benefit from SSPs. The programs are designed to keep the public safe, and save money. How? According to the CDC, those with HIV have a lifetime cost in medical bills of roughly $450,000. In general, substance-abuse related infections cost the U.S. $700 million a year.
A study by the CDC was conducted between San Francisco and Miami before Miami had an SSP program. San Francisco, with its rising homelessness and drug addiction, implemented SSPs before Miami. The following occurred:
A study compared the prevalence of improperly disposed of syringes and self-reported disposal practices in a city with SSPs (San Francisco) to a city without SSPs (Miami) and found eight times as many improperly disposed of syringes in Miami, the city without SSPs. People who inject drugs in San Francisco also reported higher rates of safe disposal practices than those in Miami. Data from CDC’s National HIV Behavioral Surveillance system in 2015 showed that the more syringes distributed at SSPs per people who inject drugs in a geographic region, the more likely people who inject drugs in that region were to report safe disposal of used syringes.
Controversy surrounds San Francisco however, with accusations of their syringes being all over the city, and going into drains by the EPA. San Francisco, California may be a different animal, as homelessness continues to rise with many opioid users, while Florida saw the largest decrease in homelessness in 2019 by 8.7%.
Conclusion
Time will tell if the syringe service program in Florida will work, and it has five years to prove it. Both from the standpoint of opioid addiction, and the spread of infectious diseases, two problems Florida faces.
If you or someone you know is suffering from opioid addiction, or any other substance abuse disorder, seek professional help now.
Contact On Call Treatment FL, a South Florida drug rehab—available 24 Hours, 7 days a week, call us NOW 1-(855)-492-1515.