Obama Budget Bans Federal Funding For Needle Exchange, Breaking Campaign Pledge

President Obama's budget released Thursday takes a step backward from a controversial political position he had taken during the presidential campaign.

Obama, during the primary campaign, pledged his support of needle exchange programs to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS. When he took over the White House, the administration website affirmed: "The President also supports lifting the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users."

Yet Obama's budget includes language that bans spending federal money on needle-exchange programs.

White House spokesman Ben LaBolt said the administration isn't yet ready to lift the ban - but Obama still supports needle exchange.

"We have not removed the ban in our budget proposal because we want to work with Congress and the American public to build support for this change," he said. "We are committed to doing this as part of a National HIV/AIDS strategy and are confident that we can build support for these scientifically-based programs."

He added, "In recent years, Washington has used the budget process to litigate divisive issues and score political points. This practice, which both sides have engaged in, has limited our ability to tackle our major economic challenges. President Obama decided not to play politics as usual with this budget and while he remains committed to supporting the program he wants to address that through the normal legislative process."

The White House website no longer features the president's support of the program, however. See the before and after here.

"It's hard to imagine how removing mention of support for a proven lifesaving program from the White House website is part of a grand strategy to 'build support' for syringe exchange," said Tom Angell, a spokesman for the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.

Obama's budget also includes a provision known as the "Barr Amendment," which prevents the District of Columbia from implementing a medical marijuana law that voters passed in an overwhelming referendum. Obama has pledged not to use Department of Justice resources to raid medical marijuana clinics in states where it is legal.

UPDATE: The Center for Global Health Policy writes in, noting that Obama also underfunded the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, which funds a wide variety of prevention efforts, including needle exchange in Eastern Europe, where drug addiction and HIV/AIDS rates are both soaring:

Another major disappointment for global health advocates is the Obama proposal for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. Countries rely on the Fund, in particular, for funding for tuberculosis programs, and so far the Fund has also provided over $600 million for health system strengthening. The Global Fund requested $2.7 billion from the US for 2010, but the Administration is proposing only $900 million, the same level as 2009. Unless Congress goes above the Administration's proposal, the US will miss a major opportunity to use the Fund to leverage more donations from Spain, Germany, and other countries, and AIDS, TB and malaria programs will be stalled.

Ryan Grim is the author of the forthcoming book This Is Your Country On Drugs: The Secret History of Getting High in America

Comments

[DonCosenza]

In other words, some battles aren't worth fighting for.

I'm guessing their calculation was that lifting the ban would make passage of the budget more difficult and it wasn't worth the added difficulty at this time. I'm not saying such a calculation is necessarily correct, but I'm guessing that's the motivation (or lack thereof) behind it.

If anything, Obama has proven that he is not willing to let the perfect be the enemy of the good... in fact he's used those very words. So I'm not sure why everyone's so shocked about such a position as this.

If you go around and randomly ask people what are the most important issues to fight for in the budget, I bet you'll find a tiny minority who rank needle exchange funding among them- even if you ask only Democrats.

[judyc]

Another voice of reason I've come across tonight.

[harriettubman]

Yes, some battles just can't be won. Pick another one.

[tailgateshirts]

agreed. he did say that.,..

[Oldtt]

True enough, but unfortunately it was an explicit campaign promise. If Obama was planning on governing as a pragmatist, he didn't give much hint of this during the primaries.

[yappnmutt]

how am i suppose to boot up without works? you grow the poppies in afghaniland charge top dollar for it then you won't give me works?! how's that work? don't you understand marketing? that 's the least you could do.

[Halfwit]

So much for "reality based policy."

[t iessa]

Obama: I'm really for it but I won't do anything to support it. But I really, really support it.

LOL!!!! Change.

[Oldtt]

Question: Who does this remind you of ?
Answer: Every previous president.

[marinade]

Well, we little people don't understand the political practicalities. We call it being spineless. People like Rahm Emanuel call it pragmatic.

[swanie]

IF this is true, it sadly is ONE MORE REASON my confidence in Obama is rapidly waning.

If things don't change his support in 2012 will have evaporated - at least amon Independents.

TRULY SAD.
.

[lysistrata]

Include Democrats too.

[tailgateshirts]

because of one move, get over it

[judyc]

So then you'll be voting republican, I guess?? or will you waste your vote on a third party candidate?

Face it--you live in the land of the "lesser of two evils".

[wordvarc]

Humpf.

[cultkicker]

What are they talking about? Obama doesn't need to build support... the American people gave him all the support he needs when they elected him president. We the people voted for this change. If Congress doesn't go along with the measure then it is they who are not supporting the will of the people.

[Leahk]

It seems that a lot of sunshine supporters have come to this blog. I am afraid that the President's sunshine supporters will never understand that the President is strategically selecting the order in which he will tackle invidual issues. In other words, they momentarily block out the fact that he is probably the first President in recent years who has attempted to keep his promises. Give him time, people.

[dredeize]

Good post!

[swanie]

Sorry, but he has not taken care of the FISA issues, the stem cell policy was a sham, he has backed off on single payer, we are STILL FIGHTING two wars and may be getting a third in Pakistan (sounds like the start of Vietnam), Bush policies on so called "national" secrecy have not gotten better, warrantless wiretaps still exist, NSLs are still being used and inappropriately, nothing has been done about habeas corpus, and others.

And, by orders of magnitude the most important issue, his comments about "looking forward" on torture are at best disingenuous, and at worst, a cynical political position. And, if the DOJ report comes out and DOES NOT recommend AGGRESSIVE pursuit of the perpetrators, the "legalizers" (as I call Bybee, Yoo, Adington et al), and the policy makers, and he does nothing, I will NEVER vote for him again.

For whatever it is worth, I am a WASP, a 24-year retired military officer, and was a Republican all my life (>65) until April 2008. I supported Obama with my money (first time I donated to a candidate in my life - over $1,000), in conversation with others, and proudly gave him my vote. BUT, the President is a lot different than the candidate, and I am very concerned that my support, and that of many other Independents, is slipping.

Sad to say, but not very good.
.

[EgyptianMysterySchool]

"We have not removed the ban in our budget proposal because we want to work with Congress and the American public to build support for this change," he said. "We are committed to doing this as part of a National HIV/AIDS strategy and are confident that we can build support for these scientific­ally-based programs."

Yeah right, what b.s. - you have a 60 vote majority, won the election with the largest vote differential in 40 years, a nearly 70% approval rating and you need to build support?

No what they really need to do is cut programs that help the poor, because they've given all the money to Wall St. and the bankers who's friends and ex CEO's run Obama's financial cabinet.

My godfather always told me that belief was ignorance - I guess that's change we can believe (ignore).

Wake up everybody - they're all the same.

[cinesimon]

Thos os you who have already judges Obama as just another republican in left clothing: what are you: the Obi-Wan-Kanobe of U.S politics?
He's been in office three and a half months, and you already claim to know all about him and what's he's doing - and will be doing in the future.

Why are you so intent on copying the idiot hard right fox militias by allowing yourself to be so extremely judgmental without even giving the new prez a chance??

[EgyptianMysterySchool]

More like the Yoda of U.S. politics..­.

If they want to save it for another time, that's fine, but don't tell me you need more support when your support will never be higher than it is now.

Just because you like Obama doesn't mean you should accept lies from him - it has nothing to do w/ faux news. Stop star-worshiping and seeing things like you want to see them - look at things as they are.

[cinesimon]

Mr Obama needs to man up on this, and deal with the reality of this situation: needle exchange programs save lives, and save the government millions upon millions of dollars.

Come on, man - we're proud of the fact that you don't usually sede to the republican mindset , and for something that is so obviously beneficial across the board: was this just a mistake, and he has plans to get it to where it should be?-

[harriettubman]

When and where? HIV/AIDS is a pandemic now. Hepatitis is prevalent and so are other STDs.

[cinesimon]

Australia and NZ are perfect examples of HUGELY successful exchange programs.

[jacobnyc]

The idea is to keep the eye on the ball, its all about the Big Issues, everything else will fall into place after the BIG challenges have been dealt with head-on. Don't loose faith, stick to the fight and focus on winning 2010 decisively.

[MsLiz]

Exactly! Obama isn't king or dictator.

[GeoLee]

I am thinking the country voted a moderate republican president. the Bilderbegers to to him, obviously.

[cinesimon]

So judgmental so quick.

Why is it that the Bilderbergers are fighting him tooth and nail?

[Coinyer101]

no surprise. needle exchange is not a 'centrist' issue. just like prohibition, gay rights, and no wa rs. I need to stop expecting him to really change much. Centrists are not progressives. far from it. oh well, we can always elect a progressive in 2012. not every President has to serve 2 terms.

[bosha]

The "needle exchange program" to be honest with you really doesn't ' work. In fact, while working with a local "needle exchange program" for 5 years, I felt like I was enabling more drug addicts to continue to "shoot up" instead of encouraging them to get into a "drug treatment program."

There was a kid who use to come to me for new needles for his heroin addiction, I asked him out of curiosity was he sharing his needle with other people? He stated that he did in fact share his needles only if the other person didn't look like they were sick. Just about 2 years later the kid died from full blown AIDS he was only 19 at the time.

I totally disagree with Tom Angell, simply because most of the people that got the new needles were already HIV+ so it is hard to tell weather or not the "needle exchange program" actually reduced the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Obama will be looking into other alternatives and he never said he would totally take the program away.

[leftypower]

Yours is a really convincing argument to encourage us to focus on the larger issues if he does intend to find other solutions for drug abuse and the spreading of HIV through needle sharing. Thanks for your perspective.

Now back to work on other liberal issues. I'm sure we're going to achieve satisfactory change in the areas of health care, energy and education, so I'm pushing issues such as law enforcement/prison reform and gay rights.

[cinesimon]

That's just rubbish!

I was a drug counselor for seven years before joining the sate department, and most needle users are NOT already HIV or Aids +.
The vast, vast majority of needle users are not what you would think - they're not skinny, pale and pasty losers.
There are plenty who fit that stereotype, but there are also millions of people who use needles recreationally: students, professionals of all types. Certainly a minority, but your generalization is totally off base.

Needle exchange programs not only work to prevent disease, but also help with the general health of the user, and save millions annually in health care.

Another important service these programs are great for is the spread of health and counselling information - many take up the offer of going clean through the exchange program, as it's a pace where users don't feel 100% alienated and judged: that they're seriously ill and need help.

The positive ramifications of that by itself are limitless.

The benefits go on and on and on - the only downfall is that it's a cheap political target for the right.

[bosha]

What is "recreational use" of needles mean?

It's true that most people who use the "needle exchange" are HIV+ or don't already know that they are the program is design to help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS infections including HEP C. I worked in the actual distribution of the needles and it was depressing to know that I felt like I was enabling them to continue I'm generalizing anything.

And I know quit of few people who actually stop using needles once some of them found out they were HIV+.

I'm sure that a person who is a diabetic is not going to need a "needle exchange" vs. a heroin addict?

Has anyone actually seen real numbers on weather or not the "needle exchange" program actually reduces the spread of HIV/AIDS?