Drug-Related AIDS/HIV or Hepatitis C

In an effort to reduce the spread of HIV, Hepatitis C, and other blood-borne disease, authorities in Kenya will start distributing needles to injection drug users next month.

With the Greek health system shaken by the economic crisis, new HIV cases are spiking, and the government is preparing harm reduction measures, including handing out needles and condoms, to halt the rise.

The fight-back to restore federal needle exchange funding stripped out of last year's budget has begun in earnest, with a congressional call-in, actions in a dozen cities, and civil disobedience and dozens of arrests on Capitol Hill.

Canadian researchers report that giving addicts maintenance doses of heroin is more cost-effective than giving them maintenance doses of methadone.

The New Mexico legislature has commissioned a study of emerging and evidence-based harm reduction practices, including supervised injection sites. That could lead the way to a pilot program there. There is also agitation for SIJs in San Francisco and New York City.

2011 was a busy year in drug policy. Here is our selection of the biggest stories of the year here at home.

The New Jersey Assembly and Senate have revised a pharmacy syringe sales bill after Gov. Christie conditionally vetoed the original version and, on Tuesday, Christie signed the new bill into law.

A bill that would allow for the purchase of up to 10 syringes without a prescription at pharmacies has passed the New Jersey legislature and awaits the governor's signature.

California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law a pair of bills that will expand syringe access and help slow the spread of infectious diseases.

In a landmark decision, the Canadian Supreme Court has blocked the Canadian government from shutting down the country's only safe injection site.