Controversial program paying drug users for used syringes becomes permanent in NYC

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New York City is permanently bankrolling a program that pays people up to $10 a day for used syringes, a controversial effort critics argue puts taxpayer dollars into addicts' pockets rather than getting them treatment.

The program, known as the Community Syringe Redemption Program, was quietly made permanent through Mayor Zohran Mamdani's first city budget after the city's $126 billion spending plan set aside $3 million to continue it beyond its pilot phase, the New York Post reported. The funding appeared in budget documents submitted to the New York City Council on June 30, shortly before lawmakers approved the budget.

Participants receive 20 cents for every used syringe they return, with payments capped at 50 syringes, or $10 a day, according to the New York City Health Department. The city operates eight redemption sites — five in the Bronx and one each in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens — where enrolled participants can drop off used needles during scheduled collection hours.

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A used syringe sits on the ground in a park as local politicians, religious leaders and members of the Harlem community participate in a 'Make Our Streets Safe for Our Children' march and rally on Oct. 8 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The program launched as a pilot in March 2025 after legislation backed by progressive City Council members passed in 2022. It is run by Addiction Response Resources, a nonprofit that also started a similar syringe redemption program in Boston, under an $11.1 million contract that runs through the end of next year, the Post reported.

Health officials say the program has collected more than 2.3 million used syringes since it began about 16 months ago, the outlet reported. During its first year, the city paid out about $292,000 to more than 1,700 participants.

Sanitation Department data cited by the Post shows workers have collected 26,229 discarded needles so far this year, down from 64,560 during the same period in 2025.

Outreach worker Danilo with St. Ann’s Corner of Harm Reduction participates in a weekly needle clean-up at a Bronx park that drug users often use on April 23, 2025 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

According to the Post, the city is paying for the program with more than $189 million in settlement funds it received from major opioid manufacturers and distributors — money some critics argue should be directed toward addiction treatment instead.

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Queens Republican Councilwoman Joann Ariola argued the opioid settlement money used to fund the program "should all be going toward addiction treatment services — not for paying users to turn in their needles for cash," the Post reported. She added that the program "is putting money in the pockets of addicts" instead of helping them overcome addiction.

Outreach workers with St. Ann’s Corner of Harm Reduction participate in a weekly needle clean-up at a Bronx park that drug users often use on April 23, 2025 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Bronx Democratic Councilman Oswald Feliz credited the effort to remove discarded syringes but warned the city "should not recklessly create conditions that can threaten the safety of vulnerable communities," according to the Post.

Some participants see the program differently.

Tamia Wright, 43, told the Post it had become "definitely a side hustle" after returning used needles at a park in the Bronx, adding she planned to spend the money on "weed ... and cigarettes."

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City officials say the program is meant to reduce dangerous syringe litter in neighborhoods that frequently report discarded needles. The Health Department says improperly discarded syringes can pose risks of needlestick injuries and disease transmission, and urges residents to safely dispose of sharps or report syringe litter through 311.

Health Department spokesperson Rachel Vick defended the program, saying it helps residents "live in a community free of syringe litter" while safely disposing of medical waste and connecting people in need with nearby care.

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