The Board of Health in Holyoke, Massachusetts, has again voted to allow a needle exchange program in the city. And this time, activists think it will stick.

In 2012, the Board of Health first gave permission to Tapestry health systems to distribute clean needles to drug users, but some city councilors filed a lawsuit to stop it — saying they had final approval.

A state law passed in July clarified that health boards do have that authority.

While Tapestry never closed the program, executive director Cheryl Zoll said the new vote allows them to reapply for state funding — and be less anxious about the future of the Holyoke program, which serves an estimated 2000 people a year.

“With whatever cloud the whole four year struggle had over the program,” Zoll said, “we’re hoping even more people will come in and access the services.”

Tapestry also runs a needle exchange in Northampton, and, Zoll says, plans to start new ones in Greenfield and North Adams.