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Alcala, Abigail From: Maria Ceja < Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2024 2:42 PM To: eComment Subject: Item #28 Am: eiifl.Wiu ll in eu uffl nror 0na1n°n9 fug-om onut;n de o, 'Cu y oro'Sanm Anna. Use caion when n:pel inn aflac4gun enu s or finks. Mayor and City Council, I am writing to express my OPPOSITION of Item 427. The majority of the City Council members are willfully ignoring the expertise of public health officials and scientific data and research that demonstrates that needle exchange programs, also known as Syringe Services Programs (SSPs), effectively work as a public health and safety resource. SSPs have been proven to: • help prevent the transmission of bloodborne and other infections that can affect vital organs and tissues, as well as provide health care resources to treat these health issues • SSP participants are 5 times more likely to enter treatment for substance use and stop injecting than those who don't use an SSP and are nearly 3 times as likely to report a reduction in injection frequency • Research shows that SSPs protect the public and first responders by providing safe needle disposal and reducing the presence of needles in the community • SSPs do not increase drug use or crime • SSPs distribute lifesaving medications and referrals to substance use treatment and other resources, such as housing and health care referrals. • SSPs are a cost-effective strategy for preventing and addressing community outbreaks of HIV and HCV These are just some of the benefits of having a needle exchange program in the City of Santa Ana, especially given that the City is the County Seat with multimodal access, The City needs to utilize actual data and research to provide and strengthen care in the community, not the use of fallacious stigmas and shame toward community members that can benefit from the existence of an SSP in our community. Sincerely, Maria Ceja Born and Raised Santanera