WMUR – December 1, 2024
By JOSH LACAILLADE, Assignment Editor
MANCHESTER, N.H. — A new ordinance that makes Manchester the first municipality in New Hampshire to regulate a drug-prevention program is now in effect. The ordinance, which was passed by the Manchester City Council in October, keeps the syringe service programs, or SSPs, in place while modifying policies for the sake of public health, city officials said. According to the proposal from Mayor Jay Ruais, changes include the following:
- Requires the SSP to register with the city in order to ensure transparency and accountability while providing the city with detailed data and information regarding its operations, including the location, program schedule, and personnel and volunteers of the participating organization
- Outlines the locations at which they are permitted to operate to make sure they avoid parks, schools, playgrounds, libraries or state-licensed day care facilities
- Mandates that SSPs distribute educational materials on disease prevention and substance misuse treatment options
- Prohibits safe injection sites
- Mandates that needle disposal containers must not be visible to the general public from any publicly owned space or right of way
- Outlines necessary criteria for any fixed location
- Imposes violation penalties with fines ranging from $100 to $1,000, with each day of violation constituting a separate offense
Mayor Jay Ruais said the ordinance will improve accountability and transparency in the SSPs, and hopefully reduce the number of needles in the city. Local advocacy groups in New Hampshire said the changes created by the ordinance may lead to a public health crisis in the future. Ruais said local advocacy groups are required to comply to the changes by Sunday.