The second-largest risk group is intravenous-drug users, who make up 34 percent of the total.
The primary goal of the program is to provide education, counseling and information about AIDS to intravenous-drug users and their sexual partners.
They give intravenous-drug users bleach kits to sterilize syringes.
Some estimates put the number at one-quarter to one-third of all intravenous-drug users in the city.
There is also a reluctance to accept intravenous-drug users in many trials.
The new AIDS cases in the city and state are now occurring most commonly among intravenous-drug users, a group not known for accessing local legislators.
That would include about 5,000 intravenous-drug users, 3,500 female partners of drug users and 3,000 homosexual or bisexual men.
For example, Mr. Dukakis called not long ago for drug treatment for every intravenous-drug user who wanted it.
While considering what to do, he went out for drinks with a friend who later revealed that he was an intravenous-drug user.