According to Edward Krumpotich, “This is the first in the nation provision, and when I say first in the nation provision, it is the only law that legalizes all forms of drug paraphernalia,” the Upper Midwest Policy Lead with the National Harm Reduction Coalition. This law is the only one of its kind in the country. It also permits residual drugs that may be present in the paraphernalia.

Starting now, it is legal in Minnesota to possess syringes and small amounts of drugs. This new law is simply called the “first-time provision.”

Governor Tim Walz recently signed a public safety bill that legalizes all types of drug tests and permits syringe service providers to distribute clean needles. Additionally, the bill eliminates restrictions that limited the number of syringes that could be sold by pharmacists without a prescription.

Harm reduction professionals have described the groundbreaking legislation as a new aspect of the ongoing fight against illegal drugs.

Krumpotich shared that he acquired HIV from a previously used syringe. He also revealed that he had been taking methamphetamine since he was 19 years old while teaching history at a high school.

Having gone through the ordeal of using unclean needles, Krumpotich is now sober and has shifted his focus towards public policy. He has joined forces with a harm reduction coalition to advocate for the implementation of new laws in this regard.

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“Delivering a fresh message of hope regarding recovery and prevention.”

Krumpotich disclosed that there has been a considerable increase in contagious illnesses, citing an instance of a community in Duluth experiencing an outbreak of HIV.

One of the most important things to consider when injecting drugs is sharing syringes, which can have serious health consequences.

In 2019, the amount of occurrences started appearing again. Although it is not a substantial number, it has increased about 20% in the past year, remarked Jenny Swanson, a member of the Harm Reduction Sisters Board of Directors.

“The problem is that with the ones you are seeing, there are a bunch you are not seeing.”

Jenny Swanson

Duluth’s Harm Reduction Sisters are well acquainted with an outbreak. They receive more than 20,000 pre-owned needles every month, but some individuals feel uncomfortable delivering them to us due to the substance that lingers in the needles, explained Marcia Gurno, a health instructor at Rural Aids Action Network.

Northland’s harm reduction initiatives acknowledge the reservations of some individuals, but emphasize the need to confront the truth: countless lives are being lost, and action must be taken.

As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, using needle exchange services reduces the spread of infectious diseases by about 50%.

If you go to a needle exchange program, your chances of entering substance abuse treatment are five times greater, according to Krumpotich, who believes this fact cannot be disputed.

Krumpotich claimed that outdated policies prevented individuals from seeking help for their drug use by keeping them hidden. The lack of access to these individuals by healthcare providers perpetuated the issue.

Krumpotich expressed that if they had access to a syringe provider, their illness could have been prevented as they had used drugs for a prolonged period.

According to advocates, if we want to tackle Minnesota’s opioid crisis, taking this step could be a great starting point.

The new regulation will be valid starting on August one.