В Портленде опровергли данные о том, что 40% шприцев оказываются на улицах

No. There is no evidence that 40% of syringes distributed by Portland end up on city streets. That claim may stem from a misreading of Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention data. A CDC report said that in the 12-month period ending Oct. 31, 2024, Portland Public Health distributed 952,411 syringes and disposed 577,517, or about 61%. That left 39% not disposed of by the program, but the report does not say all those syringes were discarded on the streets. More recent data shows higher collection rates. Portland’s 2025 Health and Human Services annual report says the city achieved an 86% syringe return rate. The rate increased 22% from the previous year, it said. Maine CDC’s latest report, which covers the 12-month period ending Oct. 31, 2025, lists 1.1 million syringes distributed by Portland Public Health and 877,596 disposed of, a rate of about 79%. The Maine Trust for Local News partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims. Sources - Maine Department of Health and Human Services: Syringe Service Programs in Maine, 2024 Annual Report (Pg. 48) - City of Portland: Health & Human Services Department 2025 Annual Report (Pg. 19) - Maine Department of Health and Human Services: Syringe Service Programs in Maine, 2025 Annual Report (Pg. 51)