Christie instructed the state health commissioner to find $200,000 to help pay for clean syringes and other supplies.
TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie Wednesday signed legislation that saves five locally run needle exchange programs from running out of money, and permits other cities to launch their own efforts to prevent the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C among intravenous drug users.
The governor also instructed state Health Commissioner Cathleen Bennett to find $200,000 in her budget to supply clean syringes and other supplies for the programs in Atlantic City, Camden, Jersey City, Newark and Paterson for the next year. Atlantic City, Camden and Paterson had already run out of private donations and grants, or were close to doing so.
"These programs not only distribute clean syringes to intravenous drug users, but also deliver lifesaving education, treatment, and testing to their participants," according to Christie's bill-signing statement.
"This bill is another step in my Administration's continued efforts to prevent the transmission of blood-borne diseases, such as HIV and Hepatitis C, through intravenous drug use and to encourage treatment for those suffering from substance abuse," Christie's statement said.
Program operators have used the overdose prevention drug, Naloxone (commonly known as Narcan) to save more than 40 lives, the governor noted.
Georgett Watson, chief operations officer for the South Jersey AIDS Alliance who earlier this month created a gofundme account to raise money to buy syringes, said she was "over the moon excited" with the governor's decision. The account has netted only $2,713 of its $95,000 goal.
"Staff and clients will be as well, as they do not have to worry about whether or not we will not be able to provide syringes to those who need them," Watson said. "This will definitely help keep the transmission rate of HIV and Hepatitis C down in the state of New Jersey for sure."
Last year, these programs supplied nearly 6,000 IV drug users with more than 1 million clean needles, Watson said.
The number of people who contracted HIV by sharing or using dirty needles declined from 7,592 in 2011 to 6,805 in 2015, according to the health department.
A 2012 report by the state Health Deparment declared the program a success for helping to stem the spread of HIV and hepatitis, and drawing 2,160 drug users into treatment.
Sen. Joseph Vitale, (D-Middlesex), one of the bill's sponsors, said he always found it unfortunate that state law allowed municipalities to operate a needle exchange program but the state never spent any money to support it.
The state's arms-length distance from the programs date back to mid-1990s and early 2000s, when Gov. Christie Whitman withheld her support, saying she thought it condoned drug use. Gov. Jon Corzine signed the bill allowing up to six cities to run the experimental programs in 2006.
Needle exchange program deemed a success
"It's good the state is finally stepping up after all these years, but I am going to continue to seek private funding, because it gives funders a level of comfort that the state is invested in this as well," Vitale added. "It's not political any longer - it's a real harm-reduction program and leads many people into treatment."
Christie vetoed a $95,000 budget line item in June to help the syringe programs buy supplies. In his bill-signing message, he explained he did so because it would not have been enough money.
"We are ecstatic. Our hearts are bursting," said
Roseanne Scotti, director of the New Jersey chapter of the Drug Policy Alliance, a fierce advocate for the program, said she was "deeply grateful" for the law's passage.
"These programs have been doing such amazing work yet they have struggled for so long, owing to lack of funding. Now they will have the support they need to keep doing their life-changing and life-saving work," Scotti said.
Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.