During the Lompoc City Council meeting on May 19, Councilmember Jim Mosby presented a slideshow that included photos of used syringes found throughout the city, such as on the playground equipment at Ryon Park.
Another showed a pizza box filled with syringes and a tourniquet.
A few residents who spoke at the meeting also told the council about the number of syringes they’ve found throughout the city. Nicholas Gonzales said he’s found the paraphernalia inside parking structures, community hallways, public restrooms, and church grounds.
“I’ve seen kids kicking these things walking down the street because they don’t know what they are,” Gonzales said.
Residents who spoke and some council members pointed to a syringe exchange program that the Pacific Pride Foundation operates as part of the problem. The small nonprofit parks its health utility vehicle at an intersection in the city where people struggling with substance dependency can exchange used syringes for clean ones on a one-to-one basis.
The goal of this is to reduce the spread of HIV, hepatitis C, and other similar blood-borne pathogens that can spread through needle sharing, foundation Interim Executive Director Kevin Marvin said in an email to the Sun. Through the program, the foundation also offers HIV and hepatitis C testing and the opportunity to connect clients to treatment programs.
“This [syringe exchange] service also supports those living with diabetes, transgender individuals on hormone replacement therapy, as well as others utilizing syringes as a part of their primary medical care,” Marvin said.
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors authorized the program in 2000. Alongside its location in Lompoc on Tuesday evenings, the foundation also operates the program in Santa Maria and Santa Barbara.
In an email to the Sun, Marvin said there’s no evidence to suggest the foundation’s program contributes to the syringes found throughout Lompoc. In response to residents who have claimed to witness people receive syringes without turning any in, Marvin said the foundation’s policy “is to never give out a clean syringe without one to dispose of safely.”
As part of the program, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department releases a public report every two years documenting the number of syringes the foundation collects and distributes. According to the latest report, which was released in December 2019, the foundation distributed 268,728 and collected 273,181 syringes throughout the county in fiscal year 2017-18. Based on these numbers, the foundation reduced the number of syringes in the community by nearly 4,500 that year.
During the meeting, Lompoc City Attorney Jeff Malawy told the council that city staff isn’t aware of any data or official study that demonstrates these types of syringe exchange programs increase the amount of syringe litter found in cities. He told the council that 39 states, plus Washington, D.C., allow these programs, and more than 40 operate throughout California.
Nonetheless, the council wants to see changes to how the program operates in Lompoc. At a previous meeting, the council requested its staff to look into the city’s options for regulating or banning the program. During the May 19 meeting, Malawy said the latter isn’t an option under state law, but the city does have some flexibility in regulating the program.
Councilmember Mosby, who said he’s tried to build momentum behind regulating the program for years, recommended the city require the foundation to label its syringes so that when used ones are found throughout the city, it’s clear whether they’re from the program.
This would create an unreasonable amount of extra labor and costs for the foundation’s small team, Marvin said, and the foundation is unsure how that would help in addressing the syringe litter issue in the city.
Mayor Jenelle Osborne recommended that the city work with the county and the foundation to set up kiosks throughout Lompoc where people can safely dispose of used syringes.
“Whether an exchange program exists or not, those needles will still exist and still be a problem,” Osborne said.
Aside from these recommendations, most of the council’s suggestions involved creating an ordinance that zones specific locations where this program can take place in the city. Mayor Osborne recommended the foundation operate this program out of a fixed, brick-and-mortar location. Meanwhile Councilmember Victor Vega recommended the foundation be required to operate the program within a certain distance of a hospital or some other type of health care facility.
Currently, the foundation parks its health utility vehicle at the corner of Oak Avenue and G Street. The foundation selected this spot because it’s the best place in the city to reach as many clients in need as possible. Marvin said operating a mobile location means the foundation can reach its clients where they live, rather than the other way around.
“We have yet to hear a case be made for a more suitable location in Lompoc based on need and client reach,” Marvin said. “Reaching the clients effectively, to ensure the program is most effective, is our main concern.”
But the boldest recommendation of the meeting came from Councilmember Dirk Starbuck, who said “it’s pretty obvious the program’s failed.” He suggested that while the city can’t ban the program, it should simply ask the county to remove Lompoc from the program altogether. Vega supported this request, and Malawy said he’d look into it.
Marvin said that without this program, the syringe litter in Lompoc could get worse. Additionally, removing the program could lead to increased rates of HIV and hepatitis C, as well as opioid overdose deaths. Through this syringe exchange program, the foundation also distributes naloxone, which is an opioid overdose antidote.
The council didn’t take any action during the May 19 meeting; instead Malawy will report back to the council with a status update or proposed ordinance at a future meeting. In the meantime, the foundation said it’s open to discussing its program with city officials as the foundation has in the past.
“Pacific Pride Foundation is honored to provide this essential health service to our community,” Marvin said. “We are dedicated to the health and wellness of our community and to our mission of preventing the spread of HIV and hep C to prevent harm and illness from reaching our friends and neighbors.”
Reach Staff Writer Zac Ezzone at zezzone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in May 28 – Jun 4, 2020.