cannabisnews.com: Needle Exchange Compromise Reached





Needle Exchange Compromise Reached
Posted by FoM on October 28, 1999 at 06:29:54 PT
Metro In Brief
Source: Washington Post
A House-Senate committee approved a version of the District's budget yesterday that includes a compromise on a needle exchange program for drug addicts.
The committee, set up to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of the city's fiscal 2000 budget, agreed to a Senate plan to allow privately funded clinics such as the Whitman-Walker Clinic to distribute needles to drug addicts without losing federal funds. Doctors say clean needles curb the spread of HIV and AIDS, but some House Republicans say the practice encourages drug abuse.The committee kept a ban on the city's legalizing marijuana for medical reasons, even though 70 percent of residents approved the practice in a referendum.The city's appropriations bill is scheduled to be voted on by the House today. GOP leaders attached a labor, education and health and human services spending bill to it, which President Clinton has said he would veto. If that happens, the D.C. bill would return to lawmakers, who could change the needle language--or anything else--again.Compiled from reports by staff writers Stephen C. Fehr, Avram Goldstein, Brigid Schulte, Craig Whitlock, Steve Vogel and Victoria Benning.Thursday, October 28, 1999; Page B03Related Articles:The Anti-Democracy In D.C. - 10/16/99 http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3311.shtmlGet Serious With D.C.'s Budget - 10/16/99http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3302.shtml 
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