Read Article The city of Portland issued a lengthy defense of its needle exchange program on Friday after advocates criticized officials for maintaining restrictive policies during the coronavirus pandemic. City officials say there has been no need to drop its policy restricting the number of syringes provided to people enrolled in the program despite guidance from public health experts that it is limiting access to clean needles and putting people at risk of contracting COVID-19. The statement issued Friday also expressed concern that some people who had been exchanging needles through the program run out of its India Street Clinic were using them “to facilitate the operation of unsanctioned needle exchange programs, something that is not permitted under the state’s program rules.”