Since winning a three-year legislative battle to save lives through pharmacy sale of syringes in California, the Drug Policy Alliance has continued our work to make pharmacy sale of clean syringes a reality - chiefly through providing technical assistance to local municipalities charged with implementing the new law.

Last week Alliance staff met with health officers, including health department officials and HIV/AIDS prevention coordinators from Yolo and Sacramento counties and Peter Simpson, director of the Sacramento Harm Reduction Coalition. Alliance staff advised the health officials on how best to encourage the counties' boards of supervisors to approve county ordinances allowing pharmacies to sell adults up to ten syringes without a prescription.

"We're thrilled that Gov. Schwarzenegger signed SB 1159, which was sponsored by Sen. Vasconcellos," says Simeon Gant, deputy director of the Alliance's legislative offices in Sacramento. "Pharmacy sale was a long time coming, and it's going to save lives in California. The Alliance is doing everything we can to make sure that the new law is implemented properly throughout the state."