Pueblo city council passed syringe access program ban
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -UPDATE: Pueblo city council passed syringe access program ban 5-2.
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A heated city council meeting in Pueblo is still in session at this hour. At the center of it all, a proposed ordinance that could potentially ban syringe access programs.
Those are programs that give out clean needles to drug users in the hopes of stopping the spread of diseases like HIV and hepatitis.But some city councilors said they've only encouraged drug addiction and increased dangerous medical waste in parks and alleyways.
"This is the home of the heroes, not the home of the addicts," said Joe Latino, Pueblo city council member.
Monday night,Pueblo city council chambers playing host to an emotional debate. The room packed with every single seat filled and more in the lobby outside waiting for a vote.
It's all over this controversial ordinance that aims to eliminate all clean needle programs in the steel city. Council members like Joe latino believe -syringe access programs are leading to an increase in the number of dangerous, used needles -- like this one left laying out in the open.
"We're going to get back to a point where everyone is respected including children that are being poked with needles that are being left on campuses," said Latino.
KRDO13 could not confirm the claims that Latino is referring too. But crews did go to both City Park and Mineral Palace Park, both cited by the city as having a dirty needle problem.KRDO13 saw trees and geese at both parks, but did not see discarded needles.
A spokesperson for the city said that's not surprising, pointing out that the city does routine clean-ups to properly dispose of the needles.
In fact , the city told KRDO13 that the team up to clean up group that partners with parks and recreation recovered nearly 18,000 needles last year and more than 3,000 already for 2024.
KRDO13 did spot some needles in the Bessemer neighborhood, including one entire medical waste box that had been discarded in an alley.
One long-time Pueblo Resident,Randi Addington saids public health is becoming too political. She believes that banning syringe access programs won't stop drug use but it will make the entire situation worse. She cites data from the CDC that said new users of syringe programs 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.
"People with substance use disorder will find a way to get a needle and unfortunately, it will probably be one that's already been used," said Addington.
