A House Committee moved a proposal forward Tuesday that would create a pilot needle-exchange program in Miami-Dade County -- and, frankly, if it goes the distance in the coming session, this is a program that could benefit the whole state, not just South Florida.
The House Health Quality Subcommittee heard testimony that the state's success in rubbing out pill mills may have propelled addicts to look for drugs they can inject -- explaining "a significant increase in heroin use ..."
The panel approved Rep. Katie Edwards' proposal, HB 81, with only Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, dissenting. Past attempts to present similar bills have failed, but HB 81 is picking up support.
Under the bill, the University of Miami would operate a program allowing people to exchange used needles and syringes for clean ones on a 1-to-1 ratio in a safe environment -- the idea being to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne diseases among intravenous drug users. The bill would also offer addiction counseling and HIV testing.
“It’s imperative that we take every preventative measure to halt the spread of diseases transmitted by intravenous drug use,” Edwards has said.
Edwards, D-Plantation says that the estimated cost of treating an individual with HIV/AIDS is $385,200 to $618,900. The cost of a new syringe can be as low as 97 cents. If the program prevented 10 percent of new cases of HIV in injection drug users in Miami-Dade County, it would reduce treatment costs to the state by an estimated $124 million.
The five-year pilot program would be funded through private donations and would use no state or local tax dollars.
Perhaps the most chilling and convincing testimony Tuesday came from Jason King, legislative affairs manager at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
King said, "Law enforcement throughout Florida suggests the state has done such a good job cracking down on pill mills that addicts are seeking other intoxicants, which may explain a significant increase in heroin and methamphetamine use, as well as methamphetamine production."
He claimed the increase in heroin and methamphetamine use are impacting counties like Manatee, which, according to the 2014 Medical Examiners Commission Drug Report, had more deaths related to heroin per capita than any other county in the state.
"Officials are saying we should brace ourselves for seeing even higher figures in 2015."
Here's why the impact of this pilot program would reach beyond the large urban communities like Miami-Dade and Broward, where it is set to begin:
King points to "an unprecedented number of homicides" in Okaloosa County -- in particular, Fort Walton Beach, whose only commonality with one another was drugs. And more ...
"I think it’s important to note that the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Drug Intelligence Center consider, along with Miami and Broward, counties like Duval, Nassau, Clay, and St Johns part of what’s known as High Intensity Drug Trafficking areas," he said.
So we know a lot of drug activity is going on in these areas, including the consumption of heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine through injection drug use. ..."
King offered these startling statistics from the Department of Health:
The following counties showed a rapid rise in HIV infections in 2015 when compared to data collected during the same time period in 2014:
- Broward – 24 percent
- Miami-Dade – 29 percent
- Volusia – 20 percent
- Pinellas – 32 percent
- Walton – 300 percent
- Escambia – 22 percent
- Manatee – 25 percent
- Sarasota – 42 percent
- Santa Rosa – 75 percent
Many counties experienced a rise in Hepatitis B infection:
- Broward – 50 percent
- Miami-Dade – 29 percent
- Duval – 117 percent
- Hillsborough – 48 percent
- Pinellas – 167 percent
- Escambia – 60 percent
- Sarasota – 300 percent
It's common knowledge that injection drug users are generally the least likely to be careful. This program makes perfect sense in so many ways. It's humane, cost neutral, and ultimately would save money and lives throughout the state of Florida. As King told the panel, it's going to provide an additional opportunity to identify an HIV-infected individual who can be linked to care.
King chillingly succeeded in his goal of painting a picture of the HIV and IDU epidemics that aren’t often observed, but are present in many of the communities that members of the House Health Quality Subcommittee represent.
Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423. Twitter: @NancyLBSmith
