Table HSR-4. Year of introduction of needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) and types of programmes available in 2008

Country						Needle and syringe programmes						Outreach NSP
		Year first NSP	Sources	Year first publicly funded	Sources	Specialist agency (fixed location)	Syringe vending machine	Pharmacy based NSPs	Prison based NSPs	Sources		Sites serviced by outreach workers	Sites serviced by van or other vehicle	Sources
Belgium (Flemish Community)		2001	3	2001	3	Yes	No	Yes	No	9		Yes	No	9
Belgium (French Community)		1994	3	2000	3	Yes	No	Yes	No	9		Yes	No	9
Bulgaria		1995	3	1999	3	Yes	No	No	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Czech Republic		1986	8	1991	8	Yes	No	No	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Denmark		1986	3	1986	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	9,10		Yes	No	9,10
Germany		1984	4	1992	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	9		:	:	9
Estonia		1997	3	2001	3	Yes	No	No	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Ireland		1989	2	1989	3	Yes	No	No	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Greece		1998	3	1998	3	Yes	No	Yes	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Spain		1985	3	1985	3	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	9		Yes	Yes	9
France	(1)	1989	3	1995	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Italy		1990	3	1990	3	Yes	Yes	No	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Cyprus		2007	1			Yes	No	No	No	9		No	No	9
Latvia		1997	3	1997	3	Yes	No	No	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Lithuania		1997	3	1997	7	Yes	No	No	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Luxembourg		1993	3	1993	3	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	9		No	No	9
Hungary		1994	3	2000	3	Yes	Yes	No	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Malta		1987	3	1987	5	Yes	No	No	No	2		No	No	2
Netherlands		1984	6	1986	3	Yes	No	Yes	No	9		:	Yes	9
Austria		1990	3	1990	3	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Poland		1989	3	1989	3	Yes	No	No	No	9		Yes	No	9
Portugal		1993	3	1993	3	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	9		Yes	Yes	9
Romania		2000	1	2000	1	Yes	No	No	Yes	9, 11		Yes	Yes	9, 11
Slovenia		1992	3	1996	3	Yes	No	Yes	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Slovakia		1994	3	1994	3	Yes	No	No	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Finland		1997	3	1997	3	Yes	No	No	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Sweden		1986	3	1986	3	No	No	No	No	9		No	No	9
U. K. (England&Wales)		1986	3	1987	3	Yes	No	Yes	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
U. K. (N. Ireland)		2001	1	2001	1	No	No	Yes	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
U. K. (Scotland)		1987	1	1987	1	Yes	No	Yes	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Croatia				1996	1	Yes	No	Yes	No	9		Yes	Yes	9
Turkey	(2)	:		:		:	:	:	:			:	:
Norway		1988	3	1988	3	Yes	No	No	No	9		No	No	9

Notes:

 NSP: the acronym NSP is the abbreviation for the term ‘needle and syringe programme’. This means the provision of sterile syringes and hypodermic needles as well as of further injecting paraphernalia to injecting drug users. NSPs can also be implemented at pharmacies or in prisons.   

 NSP site: The term ‘site’ is used to describe physically distinct outlets where syringes can be obtained for free, against payment or in exchange against used ones.   

 Where data are not available, the table entry is left empty.                 

 (1) For France, Circulaire DGS 05 May 1992 allowed a pilot study of NSPs, but full implementation only after 1995.             

 (2) There are currently no NSPs in Turkey.       

 See also 'General notes for interpreting data' on the Explanatory notes and help page.     

Sources:

 Updated according to information in        

 (1) Reitox National Report 2007.       

 (2) Standard tables on 'syringe availability' (ST10), submitted by NFPs in 2004 and 2006.       

 (3) Structured questionnaire 23 'Prevention of infectious diseases', submitted by NFPs in 2004.       

 (4) Personal communication, H. Stöver, 31.1.2005.       

 (5) Personal communication, M. Camilleri, 14.2.2005.       

 (6) Coutinho, R. (1995), American Journal of Public Health 85, 1490-1.       

 (7) Personal communication E. Subata, 28.2.2005.       

 (8) Personal communication, B. Korcisova, 9.3.2005.       

 (9) Standard Tables on 'syringe availability' (ST10), submitted by NFPs in 2008.    

 (10) Information on availability of fixed NSPs at specialist agencies: personal communication Winnie Jorgensen (Danish Drug User's Union), 06/01/2010.   

 (11) Reitox National Report 2009.                             

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