After years of encouragement from ReconsiDer, The Lindesmith Center, and most medical and AIDs prevention groups in the state, New York becomes the 42 ond state to legalize syringes for over-the-counter sale. Had this bill been passed when ReconsiDer first proposed it some 5 years ago tens of thousands of lives and hundreds of thousands of dollars would have been saved.

c The Associated Press
.ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New Yorkers will soon be able to buy hypodermic needles
without a prescription, a move aimed at inhibiting the spread of the AIDS
virus.

``This is going to save tens of thousands of lives by virtually eliminating
needle sharing,'' said Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, a Manhattan Democrat.
``It's a tragedy we weren't able to do this a decade ago.''

New York will become the 42nd state to allow the practice when the law takes
effect Jan. 1. The measure, included in the budget package signed into law
Thursday and Friday, applies to those 18 and older.

The law drew criticism from Assemblyman Robert Straniere, a Republican from
Staten Island, who referred to it as a ``quantum leap forward for the
legalization of drugs in New York.''

Marty Algaze, a spokesman for the Gay Men's Health Crisis, Inc., a New
York-City based AIDS organization, applauded the legislation.

Algaze said there have been 139,063 cases of AIDS reported in New York state,
with 84,065 deaths. More than half of current cases were caused by the
sharing of HIV-contaminated syringes or sexual contact with a person who was
infected through sharing needles.

The law requires that a pamphlet be included with needles on the proper use
and disposal of syringes and the dangers of drug use and needle sharing. It
will also have an HIV hotline number.

AP-NY-05-05-00 1825EDT