Mitchell S. Rosenthal

About the author: Mitchell S. Rosenthal, president of Phoenix House, a drug rehabilitation agency, is chairman of the New York State Advisory Council on Substance Abuse.

Despite media reports of their success, needle-exchange programs have yet to be proven as an effective means for reducing HIV infection among addicts. The supporting research is based on questionable assumptions and is therefore inconclusive. However, even if needle exchange prevented the sharing of needles, it would do nothing to control the spread of HIV from addicts to their sexual partners via unsafe sex. Addicts engage in this type of sexual behavior due to their general inability or unwillingness to accept responsibility. Drug addicts need treatment—not clean needles—in order to become productive, responsible citizens.

Allowing drug users...