Saying that legalizing sales of hypodermic needles could lead to increased drug use, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney vetoed a needle-sales bill that passed by wide majorities in the state legislature, the Associated Press reported July 1.

"We believe that upon further review of the bill, some of the unintended consequences could be more severe than the benefits of signing the bill," said Romney. He and Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey said the bill could result in more discarded needles on the streets, and noted that heroin use is rising in the state even as AIDS rates fall. "We cannot in good conscience say we should make needles more available to heroin users," said Healey.

But bill supporters noted that 47 other states allow legal sales of needles, and that there's no evidence that such sales increase drug use. "All scientific evidence indicates that the availability of clean needles does not lead to increased drug use," said Rebecca Haag, executive director of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts. "There is study after study after study which we have given to the [Romney] administration to that effect."

Both the state House and Senate appear to have enough votes to override the veto, which has been viewed in the broader context of a possible Romney run for president in 2008. Healey, who is running for governor this year, raised the needle bill in a political appearance recently, saying it could result in children "standing next to a drug addict in the checkout line at CVS who is there to buy more needles to feed his or her addiction."