Tampa, FL Public Health Rules: Syringe Disposal (2026)

(4) A county commission may authorize a sterile needle and syringe exchange program to operate within its county boundaries. The program may operate at one or more fixed locations or through mobile health units. The program shall offer the free exchange of clean, unused needles and hypodermic syringes for used needles and hypodermic syringes as a means to prevent the transmission of HIV, AIDS, viral hepatitis, or other blood-borne diseases among intravenous drug users and their sexual partners and offspring. Prevention of disease transmission must be the goal of the program. [...] A sterile needle and syringe exchange program may not operate unless it is authorized and approved by a county commission in accordance with this subsection. (a) Before an exchange program may be established, a county commission must: 1. Authorize the program under the provisions of a county ordinance; 2. Enter into a letter of agreement with the department in which the county commission agrees that any exchange program authorized by the county commission will operate in accordance with this subsection; [...] (b) An exchange program must: [...] 3. Operate a one-to-one exchange, whereby a participant shall receive one sterile needle and syringe unit in exchange for each used one. [...] (f) State, county, or municipal funds may not be used to operate an exchange program. Exchange programs shall be funded through grants and donations from private resources and funds.