title: More pharmacists in high-risk neighborhoods of New York City support selling syringes to injection drug users.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To document changes in pharmacists' opinions and practices from the time of passage to implementation of a law permitting selling syringes without a prescription (the Expanded Syringe Access Demonstration Program [ESAP]).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two cross-sectional randomized telephone surveys.
  
  
  METHODS
  High-risk neighborhoods of New York City.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pharmacists.
  
  
  METHODS
  Support for selling syringes without a prescription to injection drug users (IDUs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We completed 130 surveys at baseline (BL) in August 2000, from neighborhoods with high numbers of injection-related acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases and 231 surveys at law change (LC) in January 2001. To correct for differences in sampling, we limited the analysis to pharmacies in ZIP Codes represented in both samples and weighted results to adjust for the median income level of those postal codes. From BL (n = 83) to LC (n = 84), law awareness increased (43% to 90%, P < .001), as did personal support for selling syringes without a prescription to IDUs (36% to 63%, P < .001). From BL to LC, a larger proportion of supporters believed that selling syringes was an important part of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention and would help decrease HIV transmission, and a smaller proportion was concerned about customer discomfort and increased drug use. A total of 40% of respondents were ESAP registered at LC but registration was not associated with support for selling syringes to IDUs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Support for ESAP among pharmacists increased in high-risk neighborhoods as the program was implemented. The finding that some pharmacists were ESAP registered but did not support selling syringes to IDUs and others were supportive, but not ESAP registered, may have program implications.
authors.affiliation: The Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies, New York Academy of Medicine, NY 10029, USA. pcoffin@nyam.org
authors.forename: Phillip O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Coffin
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ahern
authors.forename: Stacy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dorris
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.forename: Crystal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vlahov
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D007883:Legislation, Medical; D009519:New York City; D010595:Pharmacists; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D013594:Syringes / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D013689:Telephone