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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jason Candanito, Member of Friends of Echo Park, on Intro 868
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Jason Candanito, a Bronx resident and member of Friends of Echo Park, testified in opposition to Intro 868, which would prohibit mobile syringe service programs near schools and playgrounds. He argued that these programs provide vital services and are not the cause of harm, citing data on their effectiveness in reducing HIV and HCV infections.
- Emphasized that banning these programs could inflict irreparable harm on vulnerable populations who need access to services
- Presented data from the health department on syringe collection and disposal education efforts
- Cited National Institutes of Health research showing that syringe exchange programs are not a major source of pollution and that participants are more likely to dispose of needles properly
Jason Candanito
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Hello.
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Good afternoon.
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I'd like to read a statement.
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My name is Jason Candanito.
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I am a Bronx resident who currently resides in the Tremont section of the Bronx, and I am also a member of the community group Friends of Echo Park.
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We are the constituents of council member Felice.
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I am here to voice my position to bill intro zero eight six eight on the following grounds.
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The reality is that people use substances in New York City public parking spaces.
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As an active participant in a local parking organization in The Bronx, I've witnessed this firsthand.
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I've also witnessed the great work that organizations such as OnPoint New York City and Saint Anne's Corner of Harm Reduction have done in these parts to address and alleviate these issues.
Linda Lee
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This
Jason Candanito
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bill erroneously implies that these organizations are the cause of harm, which is blatantly false as due to their syringe programs, HIV and HCV infections from sterilized syringes have fallen drastically.
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Banning these programs from these spaces will curtail the vital services that those with substance use disorder need access to as these programs offer a myriad of services and resources on-site.
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This bill, if passed, has the potential of inflicting irreparable harm to those people who are most vulnerable and need services the most.
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Banning and prohibitions more often than not are ineffective.
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What is effective are the life saving services these programs provide?
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Here are the facts.
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According to health department data in just last year alone, outreach and syringe litter teams collected more than 187,000 ground syringes and provided syringe disposal education more than six to 800 times.
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Plus, according to years of research by the National Institutes of Health, syringe exchange programs are not a major source of pollution, and people who get needles from an exchange are more likely to dispose of them properly than those who do not.
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According to the same data, the health care risks associated with improperly discarded needles are minuscule.
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The health care risks posed by discarded needle are not on par with the health care the health care risks posed by banning services.
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We are not here to lay blame or fault, but instead to seek solutions and this bill is clearly not the solution.
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Thank you.