Pueblo councilor pushing to eliminate syringe access programs, some say problem won’t be solved
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) - Controversy is brewing over syringe access programs in Pueblo.
Councilman Roger Gomez is drafting an ordinance to ban the programs, saying needles are becoming a health hazard to his neighborhood. However, others believe the programs are saving lives and worry about what will happen if they are gone.
Gomez said the people he represents want the syringe access programs gone. He said there are needles scattered across the city and it's causing a health issue. This is the reason why he is putting together a city ordinance that would remove the programs altogether if passed.
"They are very concerned that we may be enabling and condoning this kind of behavior through the needle exchange program," said Gomez.
The CEO of the Southern Colorado Harm Reduction Association, Jude Solano, did not deny that some of the needles found may have came from her organization, but she also noted they could have came from anywhere.
"Yes, there are syringes here and there, but the way it is, the disinformation of blowing it up as if there are piles and piles of syringes, I don't believe it," said Salono.
Salono said drug users need to use sterile needles for each injection to reduce the risk of spreading diseases within the community.
KRDO 13 spoke with one recovered drug user, Ashley Parsons. She said before coming to the Southern Colorado Harm Reduction Association, she didn't use a sterile needle when she was using. She said she ended up getting a bacterial infection called endocarditis. She said it got so bad, she ended up becoming blind in one eye and a doctor eventually amputated her leg. Parsons eventually was able to find help at the Southern Colorado Harm Reduction Association.
"Prior to becoming a client here, it was hard. It was a struggle to find what you needed. You were sharing needles. You were reusing needles. You weren't doing it safely. You weren't doing it cleanly and you had nowhere to take your used ones," said Parsons.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the majority of Syringe Services Programs (SSPs) offer referrals to medication-assisted treatment. The CDC said new users of SSPs are five times more likely to enter drug treatment and three times more likely to stop using drugs than those who don’t use the programs.
The city said it does clean-ups routinely to properly dispose of the needles. The city of Pueblo told KRDO13 Thursday that their Team up to Clean up group with Parks and Rec picked up 17,717 needles in 2023 and so far have picked up 3,197 in 2024. Public Works and Code Enforcement do not individually track/count the numbers of needles picked up during their clean ups so they don’t have their totals to add, according to the city of Pueblo. It's unclear how many needles are found around the city and if they came from the Southern Colorado Harm Reduction Association or the other syringe access program Access Point Pueblo.
KRDO13 crews found a couple of needles in the Bessemer neighborhood and some needles in what appeared to be a sealed medical container on Wednesday.
Councilor Gomez said this proposed ordinance is expected to be introduced by the end of this month.
