1.   Drug users say they could be at increased risk from AIDS after a decision to stop giving them free clean syringes.

2.   In addition to swapping clean syringes for dirty ones, Clean Needles Now also hands out cotton, bleach and other equipment to help ensure sterile injections.

3.   In Connecticut, health officials had to convince pharmacists of the importance of clean syringes in fighting AIDS and hepatitis to win their support for nonprescription sales.

4.   Jon Struan-Parker, who runs the AIDS Brigade, which distributes clean syringes, agrees with the addicts.

5.   Local AIDS activists can continue to distribute clean syringes without fear of going to jail, Smith said.

6.   Ethical or legal objections to the provision of clean syringes missed the point, Kingma said.

7.   It also urged expansion of programs to provide clean syringes to drug addicts as an AIDS-prevention measure.

8.   The virus typically sweeps through hospitals or clinics where doctors and nurses lack gloves, masks, clean syringes and other basic medical equipment.