Urge your member of Congress to support H.R.6680, a bill that repeals the national syringe funding ban. If enacted, it could save hundreds of thousands of lives and millions of taxpayer dollars.

Subject: Please Support H.R. 6680, which repeals the national syringe funding ban

Dear [Decision Maker],

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I urge you to co-sponsor and support H.R. 6680, the bi-partisan "Community AIDS and Hepatitis Prevention Act of 2008." This bill repeals the federal prohibition that prevents states from using their share of HIV/AIDS prevention money on syringe exchange programs. If enacted, it could save hundreds of thousands of lives and millions of taxpayer dollars.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Medical Association, National Academy of Sciences, American Public Health Association, and numerous other scientific bodies have found that syringe exchange programs are highly effective at preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. Moreover, seven federal reports have found that increasing access to sterile syringes saves lives without increasing drug use.

The lifetime cost of treating just one person who contracts HIV/AIDS can be as high as $600,000. This cost is often borne by taxpayers. In contrast, syringe exchange programs can prevent thousands of new HIV/AIDS cases at very little cost. Thus, funding syringe exchange programs saves both lives and taxpayer money.

As many as 300,000 Americans could contract HIV/AIDS or hepatitis C over the next decade because of a lack of access to sterile syringes. This essentially makes the national syringe ban a death sentence for drug users, their partners and children. I strongly urge you to co-sponsor and support H.R. 6680.

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