The Women’s Health Center of West Virginia plans to open a harm reduction program in Charleston. Harm reduction programs began operating in West Virginia around 2011. In 2015, the city of Charleston passed an ordinance that a group needs a state license of approval from police chief to run a needle exchange program. The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department’s needle exchange program was shut down in 2018. Lawmakers passed a bill during the 2021 Legislative Session that created stricter policies that licensed organizations have to follow. They can only exchange one for one needles, and identification must be shown. Eyewitness News said the Women’s Health Center of West Virginia is gathering public input and planns to ask for city, county and state approval.