NEEDLE EXCHANGES COME TO THE DISTRICT. In a bit of good news for the District, the Democratic Congress has lifted the ban on clean needle exchanges within Washington, DC. According to The Hill, the White House isn't expected to make a fuss, and the programs could come online as soon as October. Clean needle exchanges are one of those issues where the desires of politicians to look tough on crime literally cost the death of thousands of their constituents. DC, with its absurdly high AIDS rate -- the highest among all medium-sized cities in the country -- has been particularly hard hit. Hope those votes were worth it. --Ezra Klein
