The city of New York has authorized the opening of the first security centers for the consumption of heroin and other narcotics, in the hope of curbing overdoses, according to the mayor and the health commissioner.
“Overdose prevention centers” – commonly known as supervised injection sites – have been discussed for years in New York and a few other cities in the United States and already exist in Canada, Australia and Europe.
Some unofficial facilities have operated in the city for some time, allowing drug users a supervised place to participate.
Advocates say these facilities save lives by acknowledging the reality of drug use and providing a place where users are watched for signs of overdose, which last year claimed a record number of lives in the city and nationwide.
“Big News Today: The Nation’s First Overdose Prevention Services Center opens TODAY in New York! These are safe places where people who use drugs can receive medical care and be connected to treatment and social services,” she wrote the NYC Health Commissioner in a message on social media.
Important news today – the first overdose prevention center services in the country open TODAY in NYC! These are safe places where people who use drugs can receive medical care and be connected to treatment and social services: https://t.co/uD9UZn6nSg pic.twitter.com/5OFJz3c6sU
— Commissioner Dave A. Chokshi, MD (@NYCHealthCommr) November 30, 2021
“I am proud to show the cities of this country that, after decades of failure, it is possible to adopt a smarter approach,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Opponents, however, view the venues as a moral failure that essentially penalizes people who harm themselves, and federal law prohibits the operation of a narcotics facility.
The Supreme Court last month refused to accept a Philadelphia group’s fight to open a safe injection site, which a divided federal appeals court had rejected. Philadelphia federal prosecutors had sued to stop it, citing a 1980s law aimed at shutting down places where crack cocaine was used.
Manhattan federal prosecutors declined to comment on New York City’s plan on Tuesday.
New York locations were opened Tuesday to existing needle exchange programs, said New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi.
Supervised injection sites often have monitors that watch for signs of an overdose and can administer an antidote if needed. Chokshi suggested that the facilities would also offer people referrals for drug addiction treatment and other services and “get people off the street, improving the lives of everyone involved.”
More than 2,060 people died of overdoses last year in the nation’s most populous city, the highest number since reporting began in 2000.
Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that there were more than 93,300 overdose deaths in 2020, an increase of nearly 30% from the previous year’s figure.
Researchers have calculated that New York City’s proposal could prevent 130 deaths and save $ 7 million in healthcare costs a year. Studies have also found that these centers reduce HIV infections and overdose calls to 911, among other problems.
De Blasio, who has a limited term and is leaving office next month, announced in 2018 that the city would authorize four supervised injection points as a test.
At the time, city officials said they would need approval from the state Department of Health and district attorneys in the areas of the sites, among other officials.
Some of New York City’s five district attorneys have been open to safe injection points. But the city’s special narcotics attorney, Bridget Brennan, has expressed reservations, saying the facilities could pose a risk of legal trouble, neighborhood tensions and give the wrong impression that drug use is safe.
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