U.S. - De Blasio Moves to Bring Safe Injection Sites to New York City

[S.J.B.]

De Blasio Moves to Bring Safe Injection Sites to New York City
William Neuman
The New York Times
May 3rd, 2018

Mayor Bill de Blasio is championing a plan that would make New York City a pioneer in creating supervised injection sites for illegal drug users, part of a novel but contentious strategy to combat the epidemic of fatal overdoses caused by the use of heroin and other opioids.

Safe injection sites have been considered successful in cities in Canada and Europe, but do not yet exist in the United States. Leaders in San Francisco, Philadelphia and Seattle have declared their intention to create supervised sites, although none have yet done so because of daunting obstacles. Among them: The sites would seem to violate federal law.

The endorsement of the strategy by New York, the largest city in the country, which last year saw 1,441 overdose deaths, may give the movement behind it impetus.

For the sites to open, New York City must still clear some significant hurdles. At minimum, the plan calls for the support of several district attorneys, and, more critically, the State Department of Health, which answers to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. The city sent a letter on Thursday to the state, asserting its intention to open four injection centers.

Although Mr. Cuomo and Mr. de Blasio are Democrats, they have engaged in a yearslong feud that has seen few examples of cooperation. Mr. Cuomo, who is facing an energetic primary challenge from Cynthia Nixon, has not said whether he supports injection sites, a popular cause among more left-leaning Democrats.

Read the full story here.

 

[JackARoe]

I like the type of thinking that turns the whole issue into a medical issue that needs harm reduction. We should have safe injection rooms and way for doctors to prescribe some medical grade heroin. Heroin maintenance in addition to methadone maintenance. Street drugs are killing people. These people are family members, friends and relations. It is time to logically help an addict stay safe and make further treatment sensible if they are ready and if not keep them safe with standardized heroin. That would save a lot of people from these fentanyl OD's.

This is my opinion of the "opioid epidemic". Not enough prescribed to people who really need it and maybe a little too much for people that don't need it at all. Then again no one can judge another's pain. But this whole notion that opioids are a political thing really irritates me. So what if people need large amounts for a long time. Used correctly they work very well and pain patients can adjust and live better lives.

I really hate politicians sticking their nose in medical issues. Ok, sure, make sure the pharm companies are not pushers, but let doctors work with their patients for the best care.