April/May 1988

Washington State; n = 800

Gilmore Research for Washington State HIV/AIDS General Population Survey (Olympia, WA) (Washington State Department of Health, 1991)

Would you support a needle exchange program where a drug user could obtain a free sterile needle in exchange for a used one?

55%—Yes; 45%—No/don't know

January 1989

Pierce and South King Counties, WA; n = 411

Tacoma Morning News Tribune Poll conducted by Tacoma Marketing Research (Tacoma, WA) (Eskenazi, 1989)

Do you agree with the Board of Health decision to fund a hypodermic needle exchange program designed to reduce the spread of AIDS?

67%—Agree; 18%—Disagree; 14%—Unsure/don't know

1989/1990

New York City, NY; Members of Harlem families; n = 326

Ann Brunswick Columbia University (New York City, NY) (Brunswick, 1991)

Some people have suggested that handing out clean needles, free, would be a good way to reduce AIDS among intravenous drug users.; Other people say that providing free needles would encourage drug use. How do you personally feel about allowing drug users to exchange their used needles for clean ones?

38%—Agree strongly; 16%—Agree somewhat; 35%—Disagree strongly; 5%—Disagree somewhat; 6%—Not sure