A short news report from Australia tells a sorry tale of a police office suffering a sharps injury during a drug raid. The syringe was alleged to have been used to inject amphetamines.

The officer and his family now have an anxious wait ahead of them after he sustained a needlestick injury during a drug raid, and faces months of medical screening.

After the raid, two women were each charged with possession of a dangerous drug (marijuana) and possession of a “utensil”. One woman was charged with permitting the premises to be used for smoking drugs and also failing to dispose of a syringe.

It is that last issue that raises an eyebrow, that there is a law of failing to dispose of a syringe! I suppose the flexibility of the legal framework could bring the same result here in the UK though it seems improbable.

An interesting twist to teh story is that the lady owner of the syringe voluntarily provided a blood screening sample and there are all indications that there is no health implication. That is an unusual, though commendable response and should alleviate much of the worry.