Santa Monica Residents, City Leaders Call For End Of Needle Exchange Program

CBS Los Angeles

September 20, 2022

With plenty of stuff for his kids to do, Reed Park is Dannon Smith's go-to place to take his daughters.

However, it's also a weekly spot for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health's needles exchange program. The county, which partners with the Venice Family Clinic, encounters around 500 people and distributes around 1000 doses of Narcan and tens of thousands of clean needles every month.

"The needle exchange program is good, you know?" Smith said. "Here at the park? Maybe in retrospect with all the children, a different spot. I would [move it] maybe down at the city building or somewhere near the police department. I mean it's a hop, skip and a jump away from here."

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