Political Quotes

“I do not think there is a wrong and right on this issue. I think there are two competing public policy objectives. One objective just focuses on the AIDS epidemic, on getting people who are using bad needles good needles so they can continue their habit, but at the same time at least have them use a needle that will not infect them with a virus. And I understand that. And under this amendment State and local governments in the private sector who already fund these programs can continue to do that. We are not wiping that out. But the other policy objective, and I think we have to look at this, each day over 8,000 young people are going to try an illegal drug for the first time. Heroin use rates are up among youth. And while perhaps eight persons contract HIV directly or indirectly from dirty needles, 352 start using heroin each day, and more than 4,000 die each year from heroin- and morphine-related causes. We send a wrong signal when we tell people it is illegal but we are going to give out a clean needle for people to pursue this illegal habit, and I think it looks terrible from a public policy objective to have the government really funding these programs and encouraging the use of illegal drugs.”