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Syringe litter did not increase after a needle exchange ban was overturned in Pueblo, Colorado, but health services suffered

A study found that Pueblo's three-week syringe ban resulted in 900 fewer naloxone kits distributed over 20 weeks, hindering community efforts to prevent opioid overdose deaths.
Pueblo's two needle exchanges, operating since 2014 and 2017, faced the ban after The City Council cited syringe litter in public spaces including parks as the impetus.
While the ban lasted only three weeks, researchers observed that naloxone distribution and exchange visits remained lower than expected for at least 20 weeks after it was overturned.
A Pueblo District Court judge overturned the ban, yet reduced program visits limited access to substance use disorder treatment, HIV testing, and essential social services.
Across the United States, more than 400 needle exchanges operate, yet researchers warn that restricting harm reduction services may undermine public health efforts to prevent overdoses.

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