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Flores, Dora <br />From: Alondra Salazar < <br />Sent: Monday, April 15, 2024 11:52 PM <br />To: eComment <br />Subject: Opposition to Agenda Item #27 <br />Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links. <br />Hello Santa Ana City Council, <br />My name is Alondra (she/her) I was born and raised in Santa Ana and am a 2nd year medical student. I am <br />writing to express opposition towards agenda item 27, which is meant to discuss a resolution that opposes the <br />establishment of a syringe exchange program in Santa Ana. Passing this resolution would represent a failure to <br />act in the best interest of our community's health. Santa Ana has the highest rates of HIV transmission in <br />Orange County and it is imperative to implement a program that helps address and lower the risk of HIV <br />transmission and other blood borne diseases. <br />However, there is sadly a strong commitment to ignore the truth and benefits of syringe service programs and <br />manipulate the public by fear mongering and sharing false information. So far there have been countless <br />statements about the supposed hundreds of syringes that Harm Reduction Institute "did not collect" in the past <br />or "will not collect" in the future but no evidence to prove it. On the other hand, there is an ample amount of <br />evidence based information you can find about the benefits of Syringe exchange programs. <br />You say that syringe exchange programs only increase the presence of discarded needles when in fact studies <br />have already proven that Syringe exchange Programs do the opposite, they reduce presence of needles because <br />they provide an area where people can properly and safely dispose of used syringes. This evidence based <br />information is widely available but you choose to ignore it. You say they enable people to use drugs when they <br />do not and, in fact, provide people with referrals to medically assisted treatment programs and substance use <br />counseling. The health of our community should be city officials' top priority. I strongly urge you to truly act <br />in the name of public health and do not pass this resolution. <br />Sincerely, <br />Alondra Salazar <br />