Legal & practical info from a needle exchange in CA, USA

[ektamine]

I just discovered a new syringe exchange program (SEP) in my city in northen California, USA. They had a great attitude, they were very liberal with their rules & supplies. They had accurate harm reduction information, HIV testing, nurses, and a great deal of information regarding state laws, local police, legal tips, and resources to present to law enforcement officers in the case of being apprehended. All out of the side of a minivan :laugh:

Anyways, I thought this to be useful information for any California residents:

Syringe Possession Information for California
Law Enforcement Officers

Needles and syringes in sharps containers are NOT considered
paraphernalia. Section 1136 (b) of the California Health and Safety Code
states that hypodermic needles or syringes stored in a container that
"meets state and federal standards for disposal of sharps waste" shall not be
classified as drug paraphernalia.

California law permits authorized needle exchange programs and exempts
program workers from paraphernalia charges. Needle exchange programs
that distribute sterile syringes to injections drug users may be locally
authorized pursuant to H&S Code Section 12134.9. California law exempts
needle exchange personnel from prosecution for furnishing drug paraphernalia
under H&S Code Section 11364.7

California permits over-the-counter sales of up to 10 syringes.
Pursuant to local authorization of (Business & Professions Code 4145(2)(c),
adults may obtain up to ten syringes from a pharmacy or physician without a
prescription.

California law permits possession of up to 10 syringes for personal use
from an authorized source. H&S Code Section 11364 (c) applies if
syringes are acquired from an authorized source, such as a pharmacy or
syringe exchange program.

Drug residue in a syringe is not sufficient evidence to prove drug
possession. Police should be aware that pursuant to a CA Supreme Court
ruling, an individual shall not be convicted of possession of a controlled
substance based solely on drug residue in a used syringe.

 

[artaxerxes]

Thanks for posting this! All very good information and should be disseminated to CA residents and others.

I was wondering a while ago if we had a specific NX mega-thread? I searched but did not find. If there is one, my bad. If not, I think it would be a great addition to the forum. For instance: locations, services, links, even reviews. The info I'd be most pleased to see which NXs provide wound/abscess care.

When one of the regular, "should I go to the hospital/missed shot/is this an abscess forming?" questions pops up, I've spent numerous hours trying to find out whether NXs in the posters' area provide that care and whether it's available to underage users. I'd be willing to donate time to a project like this if it doesn't already on BL. Just a thought, mods.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

This is excellent information, thank you for sharing!