Lewiston council pauses syringe-service ordinance after hours of debate; public split

The Lewiston City Council voted 4–3 on a motion to table further action on proposed amendments to chapter 22 (business licenses), article 18 (syringe service programs), effectively pausing first-passage consideration of the draft ordinance.

The ordinance under discussion would set local licensing and operating requirements for SSPs (syringe service programs) in Lewiston, including zoning limits, application and reporting requirements and an earlier proposal language dealing with whether programs must operate on a strict 1-for-1 syringe exchange model. The draft before the council also included limits on the number of city licenses; staff briefed the council that the current draft permits two licenses within the city.

Supporters of looser distribution policies and more than one licensed operator argued a less restrictive approach helps public health and lets providers respond to changing needs. State and public-health speakers told councilors that limiting the number of providers and imposing strict exchange ratios could reduce the…