Massachusetts lawmakers have voted to override Gov. Mitt Romney's veto of a bill that will legalize over-the-counter sales of hypodermic needles in the state, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported July 24.

The veto override makes Massachusetts the 48th U.S. state to allow syringe sales. Supporters of the law say it will help slow the spread of HIV among injection-drug users by limiting sharing of contaminated needles. "This particular bill, now that it's the law, will, in fact, slow down the spread of HIV," predicted Edla L. Bloom, executive director of AIDS Project Worcester. "There will be tangible numbers. People that are getting infected from injection drug use, or relationships with people who are injection drug users, those numbers will go down as they have in other states."

Romney's administration has opposed needle sales based on the theory that allowing access to needles without a prescription would encourage drug use. Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey suggested that the law could increase the careless disposal of used needles. Healey also said that HIV and AIDS cases caused by needle sharing have been declining even as heroin use rises.

"I don't know where [Healey] is getting this information, because it's completely inaccurate," Bloom said.