The Auburn City Council on Monday supported a six-month moratorium on needle exchange programs, but it won’t take effect until after a second vote next month.

The moratorium, which would be retroactive to Aug. 1, is meant to prevent applications for new services while the city is drafting regulations.

The move comes at a time when Lewiston is considering its own set of local regulations for syringe service providers, which are already regulated by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention but have received recent scrutiny as communities confront needle waste and other safety concerns.

Auburn Mayor Jeff Harmon said last week that while there are no pending applications for a needle exchange program in Auburn, city staff and the council plan to review “various policy alternatives” in order to draft a city policy regulating the programs.

“We would not want to have an applicant establish a program and then possibly be required to make changes shortly after implementation,” he said.

Auburn does not currently have a syringe service provider operating in the city, but Lewiston has two.

State CDC officials and advocates for the harm reduction model for addressing substance use disorder argue that the state’s approach over the past several years has led to a significant reduction in overdose deaths, and that local regulations could undo that progress while also risking the spread of diseases like hepatitis C and HIV through the sharing of needles.

Lewiston officials have appeared to support shifting to a 1-to-1 needle exchange model, in which one clean syringe is given in exchange for a used one, despite opposition from state officials. A 2022 change moved away from a 1-to-1 needle exchange to a more needs-based model, under which programs can give out as many as 100 clean needles at a time. Public health officials say evidence shows that a 1-to-1 model is more likely to result in reusing of needles.

The Auburn council voted 6-1 Monday to support the moratorium, but the lack of a unanimous vote means the council must hold a second reading, which will take place Sept. 2.

No one spoke during public comment on the moratorium.

Councilor Adam Platz said he attended a recent workshop on the issue in Lewiston, and while he supports the moratorium, he’s hoping councilors can talk to professionals and people with a range of perspectives to “get the full picture and make an informed decision.”

Harmon said the intention is to start the process with education and work sessions, and bring in service providers and regulatory authorities before considering potential policies regulating needle exchanges.

Councilor Belinda Gerry said she voted against the measure because waiving a second reading limits the amount of time the public has to consider the issue.