Church Wins Right to Run Syringe Exchange in Washington

A small church in Washington state just won a legal battle that could protect lifesaving addiction services across America.

Gather Church in Lewis County operates a mobile syringe exchange that serves hundreds of people struggling with drug addiction. The program helps prevent HIV, hepatitis, and other diseases by providing clean needles and medical supplies.

In 2024, county officials passed rules that effectively shut the program down. The new ordinance banned the mobile exchange, blocked distribution of fentanyl test strips, and prohibited operations near schools, libraries, or parks. Participation plummeted from 400 people each month to just 11.

Pastor Cole Meckle and his congregation weren't ready to give up. Founded in 2010 to help vulnerable neighbors, Gather Church views its harm reduction work as a core part of its religious mission alongside weekly worship services, a food bank, and an addiction treatment clinic.

The church sued with help from the ACLU, arguing the county violated both the Americans with Disabilities Act and the church's First Amendment rights. In December, federal judge David Estudillo ruled they would likely win, noting that syringe exchanges are proven to prevent disease and qualify as protected health services under the ADA.

Rather than go to trial, Lewis County agreed to settle this week. Officials repealed the restrictive ordinance, paid $500,000 in attorney fees, and allowed the church to resume full operations. On Tuesday, the Board of County Commissioners formally voted to rescind the rules.

The Ripple Effect

This settlement creates important new legal ground. While the ADA has protected access to addiction medications like methadone before, this case extends those protections to harm reduction services that don't require abstinence.

The precedent puts other counties and jurisdictions on notice. "You can't prevent people who use illegal drugs from getting help, or from getting access to lifesaving services in the form of needle exchange programs," said Malhar Shah, an ACLU attorney who worked on the case.

The ruling also affirms that faith communities can include harm reduction in their religious practice. Judge Estudillo noted that county officials never questioned the sincerity of Gather Church's belief that serving people with addiction is central to their faith.

Now the mobile syringe exchange is back on the road, ready to reconnect with the hundreds of people who depend on it for health and dignity.