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Home > About Us > Media Center

National Day of Action on Syringe Exchange, March 21, 2012

Join us and make your voice heard on this issue. Meetings with senators, media events to highlight issues and a national call-in day will serve to shine a light on opposition and commitment to not backing down.


No more federal dollars for syringe exchange: that was the message from Congress less than 3 months ago.

The funding ban is back, and the timing couldn’t be worse — with tight state budgets, and signs that many painkiller users are injecting or switching to heroin, our syringe exchange programs need more support than ever. The Harm Reduction Coalition and our allies are pulling out all the stops this time to demand that Congress and the federal government set politics aside, and we need your help.

On March 21, we’re going to make our voices heard around the country. Local meetings with US Senators, media events to highlight issues, and a National Call-in Day sponsored by a dozen organizations will serve to highlight our opposition and commitment to not backing down.

What: National Day of Action on Syringe Exchange

When: March 21, 2012

Where: EVERYWHERE!

What Can I Do?

  1. Visit and "Like" our National Day of Action Facebook page
  2. Join in a local action: People in your state may already be organizing meetings with legislators and other events that you can join. Click link here to see plans for meetings in: CA, CO, CT, HI, IL, IN, MA, MN, NC, NM, NY, OH, PA, and WA.
  3. None listed in your city? Go ahead and set up your own meeting with 3-6 others with your US Senators – Download this document to read how. Let us know so we can list it in our media release.

    How to Meet with a Senator

    96.7KB


  4. Demonstrate local support: Both before and after the Day of Action, you can circulate sign-on letters like the sample linked here to show support from organizations and legislators in your state
  5. Share your knowledge: Click here to print out talking points and materials for a leave-behind packet, and please include one of your own describing what you can about syringe access availability and needs in your state.
  6. Make your own media: Add photos and videos to the Facebook page of you and your friends taking action, or send to us to post. And tweet! #321syringe Twitter Hashtag for Day of Action
  7. Call-in's to Senate offices: Mobilize within your organization to send out the call in alert coming out the morning of the 21st. Consider doing tabling and outreach on March 21 with cell phones to get the public to call-ins, Sample script and more details coming. You may phone the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

For more information

Oscar Mairena
Senior Associate, Viral Hepatitis/Policy and Legislative Affairs
National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD)
444 North Capitol Street NW, Suite 339
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 434.8058
Fax: (202) 434.8092
omairena@NASTAD.org
www.NASTAD.org

Page updated: March 19th, 2012