Open Door Community Health Centers’ clinics in Arcata and Eureka, California, have discontinued their needle exchange program this month because of a lack of resources, the Times-Standard reports. Open Door clinics in both areas exchanged more than a total of 190,000 needles in 2008.  

Like most needle-exchange programs in the United States, the initiative relied on grant funding. However, available grants only offer enough funding for clean needles and not for administrative costs, said Cheyenne Spetzler, Open Door Community Health Centers’ chief operating officer. 

Currently, a federal ban prohibits government money from going to needle-exchange programs. But Democrats in the House of Representatives recently introduced a provision that would lift the ban. The provision is part of a measure to fund the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services (HHS) for the next fiscal year.

“Sterile needle exchange programs are an important way to reduce the transmission of diseases,” said U.S. Representative Mike Thompson (D–Calif.).

Congressman Todd Tiahrt (R–Kan.), who is on the House Labor and HHS Appropriations subcommittee, countered: “I am very concerned that we would use federal tax dollars to support the drug habits of people who desperately need help.”