Katherine LeMasters – The Conversation

Critics of needle exchange programs often express concerns about syringe litter. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

August 25, 2026

Syringe litter did not increase after a needle exchange ban was overturned in Pueblo, Colorado, but health services suffered

Pranav Padmanabhan, University of Colorado Anschutz; Katherine LeMasters, University of Colorado Boulder, and Paul Christine, University of Colorado Anschutz

Evidence suggests that people who receive syringes from a needle exchange are less likely to dispose of them improperly.

The people most impacted by Colorado’s fentanyl criminalization bill have divergent views on the role of the legal system in curbing the opioid epidemic. Erik McGregor/GettyImages

June 13, 2025

Colorado’s fentanyl criminalization bill won’t solve the opioid epidemic, say the people most affected

Katherine LeMasters, University of Colorado Boulder

Incarcerating people who use drugs is associated with increased overdose deaths after release and high rate of recidivism.

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