Bill Overview
Title: HUNTER Act of 2022
Description: This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to purchase (or support the purchase of) pipes, syringes, or other paraphernalia that can be used to smoke, inject, or otherwise introduce into the body any controlled substance unlawfully. This includes funds made available through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for overdose prevention, syringe services, and other harm reduction programs.
Sponsors: Rep. Bishop, Dan [R-NC-9]
Target Audience
Population: People who use controlled substances unlawfully and participate in harm reduction programs
Estimated Size: 1200000
- The bill directly impacts harm reduction programs that rely on federal funds for providing paraphernalia such as syringes or pipes.
- These programs are often aimed at preventing overdoses and reducing the transmission of diseases among drug users, which suggests that individuals using controlled substances will be affected.
- Organizations and healthcare workers involved in harm reduction and overdose prevention will be operationally impacted by funding restrictions.
- Since the bill pertains to federally funded services, the population affected will primarily be within the United States.
Reasoning
- The main population directly affected by the HUNTER Act are individuals who use drugs and depend on harm reduction programs to minimize health risks.
- Other stakeholders include healthcare professionals and organizations involved in harm prevention and disease control.
- Since the policy restricts funding for paraphernalia often used in harm reduction, there will be both immediate and long-term impacts on wellbeing for these individuals.
- Not all individuals who use controlled substances engage in harm reduction programs, and not everyone in these programs relies on federally funded services, thus there are varying levels of impact.
Simulated Interviews
Construction Worker (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I used the needle exchange program because it's safer. Without it, I'm worried about infections.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 1 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 1 | 4 |
Unemployed (New York, NY)
Age: 27 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm scared for my life because the listening ear and the safe supply of clean needles kept me going.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 2 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 2 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 2 | 3 |
Healthcare Worker (Chicago, IL)
Age: 45 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This bill makes my job harder and could push people away from seeking help.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 5 |
Retired (Miami, FL)
Age: 58 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't use illegal drugs, so it doesn't affect me directly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Freelance artist (Austin, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm aware of the programs, but I don't rely on them. I can see how others might be hit by this.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Social Worker (Portland, OR)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy restricts essential tools for safe use, increasing risk in an already vulnerable community.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
Student (Baltimore, MD)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- When you cut off funding like this, it sends a message that our lives don't matter.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 3 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 3 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 2 | 6 |
Entrepreneur (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I applaud the efforts to curb drug use, but it needs to be balanced with support for recovery.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Retired Healthcare Professional (Boston, MA)
Age: 66 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Losing federal support for these programs will be a step back for public health.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 6 |
Unemployed (Detroit, MI)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Without the syringe exchange, I fear the risk of overdose and using dirty tools.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 1 | 2 |
| Year 10 | 1 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 1 | 2 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The primary objective of the HUNTER Act is to reduce federal spending on specific harm reduction resources.
- Reallocating these savings could potentially pressure local governments and non-profits to fund harm reduction efforts themselves.
- Long-term public health outcomes and related social costs should be considered, as harm reduction programs contribute to public health and safety.