State measure aims to curb drug overdoses, but federal government has said such facilities are illegal and is suing Philadelphia to block a similar effort.
By Katie Zezima Katie Zezima National reporter covering vice Email Bio Follow May 25 at 8:17 AM The California Assembly has passed a bill allowing San Francisco to open a facility where people can use illegal drugs under supervision, one of several local efforts nationwide to curb overdose deaths that has drawn opposition from the federal government.
“She’s been clear that we have a crisis, an injection crisis, on our streets,” said Jeff Cretan, a spokesman for Breed. “A safe injection site will obviously help not only reduce the needles that are on our sidewalks. . . . Just as importantly, it will provide a space where people can go when they are ready to seek treatment.”San Francisco is one of several cities that have vowed to open a supervised injection site despite the federal government saying they are illegal.
The Trump administration argued in the Philadelphia case that opening such a facility would violate federal law under a statute used to prosecute crack houses. Government lawyers say that allowing the use of illegal drugs would exacerbate the nation’s opioid epidemic.The bill passed in a 44-to-26 vote and is heading to the California Senate, where proponents said they are cautiously optimistic that the bill will pass. Gov.
“It’s a health issue, not a criminal issue, and we need to take approaches that are science-based, not fear-based, and we know from experience around the world that safe injection sites work,” he said.
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