Survey: Californians support needle exchange and condoms in prisons

A survey by the California Department of Health Services and the University of California, Berkeley, shows that a majority of Californians support giving clean needles to injection-drug users and condoms to prisoners to help prevent the spread of HIV, the Walnut Creek, Calif., Contra Costa Times reports. The telephone survey of 1,739 state residents showed that 62% of the respondents favor using state funds to support needle-exchange programs and condom distribution in prisons. "These HIV/AIDS prevention policies clearly make sense, and the survey indicates strong support that the state should pay for these programs," said lead researcher Joel Moskowitz. The survey also showed strong support for requiring HIV testing for all pregnant women, requiring doctors to report HIV/AIDS cases to state health officials, and giving clean needles to injection-drug users in prisons.