New York City has permanently bankrolled a program that pays people up to $10 a day for used syringes, a move critics argue puts taxpayer dollars into addicts’ pockets rather than getting them treatment. The program, known as the Community Syringe Redemption Program, was quietly made permanent through Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s first city budget, with $3 million set aside to continue it beyond its pilot phase.

Program Details

Participants receive 20 cents for every used syringe they return, with payments capped at 50 syringes, or $10 a day, according to the New York City Health Department. The city operates eight redemption sites where enrolled participants can drop off used needles during scheduled collection hours.

Health officials say the program has collected more than 2.3 million used syringes since it began about 16 months ago. During its first year, the city paid out about $292,000 to more than 1,700 participants.

Criticism and Concerns

Queens Republican Councilwoman Joann Ariola argued that the opioid settlement money used to fund the program should be directed toward addiction treatment services instead of paying users to turn in their needles for cash. Bronx Democratic Councilman Oswald Feliz credited the effort to remove discarded syringes but warned that the city should not recklessly create conditions that can threaten the safety of vulnerable communities.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.