For Immediate Release

September 23, 2004

Senator Gill's Testimony Before the Assembly Health Committee on Needle Exchange in New Jersey

September 23, 2004

Two children have died in New Jersey each and every week for the past 10 years because of AIDS and HIV-related illnesses.

Two children have died in New Jersey each and every week for the past 10 years.

Ladies and Gentlemen, New Jersey has many children.

And we have none to spare.

But going forward, we can save many of our children.

What is necessary to save our children and thousands of men and women -- particularly women, is for the State Legislature to take what are clearly needed steps to slow the spread of AIDS and HIV-related diseases.

We can do that.

Morally, we must take the actions that are needed to save our children and their parents.

New Jersey has twice the rate of AIDS and HIV resulting from shared needle use as the country as a whole.

This has put New Jersey at the top of a list of states throughout the country -- the top of a list we don't want to be on.

New Jersey has the third highest rate of HIV/AIDS infection among children in the nation -- more than 7 of every 10 of those children are African-American.

New Jersey has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS infection among women in the country -- nearly two out of three of those women are African-American.

These are statistics. But they mean that 31,432 of our residents have died and left 22,000 of our children orphaned. At least 900 children have died.

This committee will hear many witnesses that will talk about many studies and statistics.

I would respectfully ask that from my testimony, you remember two:

Every week for the past 10 years, 2 children in New Jersey have died from AIDS or HIV-related illnesses.

22,000 of our children have been orphaned.

The rates of HIV/AIDS infection in New Jersey is at epidemic levels. It affects every race and every county in the State. It impacts our cities and our suburban and rural communities.

Why?

The cause is clear. New Jersey has twice as many infections caused by the shared needles of drug addicts than the rest of the country.

And New Jersey is one of only two states than bans needle exchange programs.

You will hear testimony that at times may seem to indicate that various studies lead to differing conclusions on the impact making needle exchange legal would have.

I would ask you to make your decisions on the bill based on common sense and the two statistics I have mentioned earlier and will mention again.

Common sense tells us that if New Jersey has the highest rate of HIV and AIDS caused by intravenous drug use and 48 out of 50 states allow for needle exchange and have lower rates of infection than New Jersey -- then New Jersey will reduce the number of cases of AIDS and HIV by allowing needle exchange.

There is nothing so unique about New Jersey that would make us so different from New York , Illinois , California , Pennsylvania -- or any of the states that allow needle exchange and have lower rates of illnesses.

The groups that agree that we can mitigate this health epidemic are among the most respected in the country.

What you are being asked to approve is agreed to by the NAACP, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Let me make clear that there could not be the support of these varied groups unless the issue before you was one of health care.

Despite what anyone else wishes to argue, this is not a law enforcement issue. It is not a drug control issue.

Numerous studies including those by the National Research Councils have found no evidence that needle exchange programs promote drug use.

What you are being asked to consider is simply a common sense health care policy. It is the morally correct action to take.

I respectfully suggest to my legislative colleagues that if there were any other cause of hundreds of deaths of children, thousands of deaths of women and the orphaning of tens of thousands of children -- our Legislature would act on an emergency basis to reduce that cause.

That is why we must act on this legislation.

Legislation has been introduced that would allow needle exchange programs to try to slow the deaths of our women and children. The programs would require municipal agreement, state supervision and the involvement of health-care professionals. Those who participate will be referred to drug treatment and counseling.

The two children who will die this week from AIDS and HIV do not give their money to political campaigns.

They are not represented by a high-powered State Street lobbyist.

Those two children have never done drugs.

They have never committed a crime.

They, however, sadly will die this week.

As a State we have the moral obligation to help save the children of our communities.

All that's lacking is the will and courage of our Legislature to agree our children are worth saving.