These programs are harmful to communities and undermine our nation's drug control efforts. Similar legislation overwhelmingly passed the House last year with broad bipartisan support.
Drug abuse continues to ravage our communities, our schools and our children.
Heroin use is again on the rise. Unfortunately, thousands of children will inject hard core drugs like heroin and cocaine for the first time this year, and many of them will not make it to adulthood. To deal with this problem, we must have a firm commitment by the federal government to end the cycle of addiction and abuse that destroys so many lives. Not only are needle exchange programs in conflict with federal law, but the results of community-based needle exchange programs have been disastrous. Needle exchange programs result in towns with higher crime, schools that are littered with used drug paraphernalia, and neighborhoods that are magnets for drug addicts and the high-risk behavior that accompany them.