BOSTON – The opioid epidemic has left a trail of death and despair in its wake and scattered hypodermic needles across playgrounds, alleyways and front stoops throughout some of Boston’s neighborhoods.
On Wednesday, the Boston City Council’s Committee on Government Operations discussed one proposal for dealing with the dangerous litter, which is a symptom of the addiction problem that some advocates said is getting worse.
City Councilor At Large Annissa Essaibi George wants pharmacies in the city to play a bigger role in the proper disposal of needles and proposed an ordinance that would require all needle sellers to collect needle waste, which pharmacists believe could lead to hazards within their stores and disadvantage them against online competition.