STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3439

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.C.R. No. 133
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred
S.C.R. No. 133, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CONVENING A TASK FORCE TO
     STUDY THE IMPLICATIONS OF INCREASED ACCESS TO STERILE
     SYRINGES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request the
Director of Health to convene a task force to study the
implications of increased access to sterile syringes.

     Your Committee finds that nationally, one-third of all AIDS
cases, sixty per cent of all new hepatitis C cases, and a
significant portion of hepatitis B cases are linked, directly or
indirectly to the use of contaminated syringes by drug users.
The unavailability of sterile syringes has lead to the sharing of
contaminated syringes which can transmit these blood-borne
infections.

     The United States Public Health Service, along with the
American Medical Association, the American Pharmaceutical
Association, and the Association of State and Territorial Health
Officials, all recommend drug users to use new, sterile syringes.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3439
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     Present law, however, bans the sale of sterile syringes
without a prescription, in effect, preventing its purchase and
use by drug users.

     The task force requested by this concurrent resolution will
provide the Legislature with the knowledge and information
necessary for the Legislature to determine whether the State
should allow the purchase of sterile syringes without a
prescription.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your
Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 133,
S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

                                 Respectfully submitted on behalf
                                 of the members of the Committee
                                 on Ways and Means,



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
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