Wise County Likely Site Of State’s First Needle Exchange Program

Wise County Virginia appears to be the first of 55 potential localities to operate a needle exchange program across the Commonwealth. Virginia recently passed a law legalizing needle exchange programs as a way to battle the spread of diseases associated with opioid use. Wise County saw 120 people die from an opioid overdose in the last ten years…in addition, the county’s hepatitis C infection rate is double the state’s figure. So far Wise County is the only county to submit the application for the needle exchange program.