Syringe litter did not increase after a needle exchange ban was overturned in Pueblo, Colorado, but health services suffered

Evidence suggests that people who receive syringes from a needle exchange are less likely to dispose of them improperly.

By: Pranav Padmanabhan, University of Colorado Anschutz; Katherine LeMasters, University of Colorado Boulder, and Paul Christine, University of Colorado Anschutz, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: August 25, 2026

Words: 1,200

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

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By Pranav Padmanabhan, University of Colorado Anschutz; Katherine LeMasters, University of Colorado Boulder, and Paul Christine, University of Colorado Anschutz

The City Council of Pueblo, Colorado, voted to ban the distribution of syringes through syringe service programs starting in May 2024.

Also called needle exchanges, these programs are run by community organizations that provide healthcare services. The impetus for the ban, as council members noted, was syringe litter in public spaces.

Three …

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