The City Council’s 6-1 vote Tuesday in favor of restarting the Clean Syringe Exchange Program was easier this time around, especially with the support of Mayor Jerry Sanders, a former police chief, as well as the current police and fire chiefs.

After a few hours of debate, Councilmember Toni Atkins made a motion to reinstate the program and Councilmember Tony Young seconded it. Also voting in favor were Councilmembers Kevin Faulconer, Ben Hueso, Donna Frye and Scott Peters.

Councilmember Brian Maienschein cast the only dissenting vote.

“I do not believe handing out free needles will improve public safety,” Maienschein said. Councilmember Jim Madaffer has voted against clean syringe exchange in the past, but was absent for Tuesday’s vote.

The program was suspended a year ago following the convictions of Councilmembers Michael Zucchet and Ralph Inzunza on conspiracy and wire fraud charges. After their resignations, too few votes remained to pass the motion, and the program ended. Zucchet has since been acquitted on seven of the nine charges.

Faulconer was the only Republican to vote in favor of the project.

“I tried to come to it with an open mind. Going through the pros and cons … this is a program which should exist in San Diego,” Faulconer said.

The City Council no longer needs to make a declaration of health emergency, which was previously required to implement a clean-needle exchange program. The state Legislature has given cities the authority to adopt such a program, which a dozen cities in California have already established.

The cost of the program will be paid for by the Alliance Healthcare Foundation, a nonprofit organization, and will be administered by Family Health Centers of San Diego. Alliance Healthcare will pay $386,400 for supplies and staffing for the next two years. The program will operate out of a motor home parked in the East Village area on Thursdays from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. A trailer will also be parked in North Park on Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Since 2001, 348,832 dirty needles were turned in and approximately 285,524 clean syringes were given out.

City staff said dirty needles are often thrown into dumpsters or the trash, endangering those who collect garbage, and a number of police officers and firefighters have reported accidental needle sticks.

According to the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, there are currently 5,864 people documented with AIDS and an estimated 9, 979 cases of HIV in San Diego County, with several thousand more unaware they are HIV positive.

There are 3,321 documented people in the county living with hepatitis C.

Ten people spoke against the program at Tuesday’s meeting, including James Hartline, a self-described former homosexual. Hartline said he has AIDS and hepatitis C from previous drug use.

“Before I became a born-again Christian, I was an IV drug user,” he told the council. “The dispensing of clean needles allows the city to be a part of [drug dealing].”

Speaking in favor of the program were several former drug addicts, including Patrick Freeman, who said he has been clean from heroin use for 16 months.

“The only people who really helped me were the exchange people,” said Freeman, adding that he was given referrals to other agencies that helped him get clean.

The program will be reviewed by the City Council at least once a year.