The Washington City Council meets in regular session tonight.
The council is scheduled to adopt a resolution opposing the establishment of a needle exchange program in Washington.
Daviess County Prosecutor Dan Murrie has been visiting local government bodies with information on the programs and why believes it’s not needed or wanted here. He says that the materials given out in the exchange is more than just needles..
State law now allows communities to decide if such programs are good fit for them. Currently 8 counties in the state have exchange programs which allows intravenous drug users, mainly heroin users to exchange dirty needles for clean ones in an effort to curb or slow down an HIV or hepatitis outbreak in a community.. Murie says we don’t have a health crisis or any type of situation similar to the outbreak in Scott County that started two years ago. He says if the situation were to change, he may change his position on the matter.
The city council again is schedule to adopt a resolution against a program in Washington under current circumstances. The council meets at 6:30 tonight.