Laserfiche WebLink
Flores, Dora <br />From: Nathaniel Greensides < <br />Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2024 6:22 PM <br />To: eComment <br />Cc: Hernandez, Johnathan <br />Subject: City Council Meeting April 16 2024 Agenda Item 26 <br />Attention: This email originated from outside of City of Santa Ana. Use caution when opening attachments or links. <br />Dear City Council, <br />I strongly oppose the proposed Resolution. People are going to use needles regardless of whether or not the City <br />opposes needle exchange programs. Banning needle exchange programs sends the message that the City <br />Council wants to see more needles on the streets and that the City is comfortable with infectious diseases easily <br />being transmitted on our streets. Fact of the matter is that needle exchange programs help reduce the <br />transmission of diseases. There is no data that suggests that disease increased when Santa Ana had needle <br />exchange programs in the past. Data suggests that needle disease transmission increases where there are no safe <br />and accessible needle exchange programs. (https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/effective-interventions/prevent/syringe- <br />services-programs/index.html) Needle exchange centers also provide centralized and vetted information for <br />people who are seeking to reduce or cease needle based drug use and the support to do so. <br />This resolution isn't going to solve the issue and it sends the wrong message to residents of our city who need <br />access to sterile and safe needle disposal and exchange sites in addition to the ancillary services that needle <br />exchange centers provide. The better resolution would be to hold all other surrounding cities to the same <br />standard of allowing needle exchange sites to exist. <br />Sincerely, <br />Nathaniel Greensides <br />Ward 5 resident <br />