Drug addiction experts said a plan by Mayor London Breed to force welfare recipients to undergo treatment was likely to backfire.
Drug users and experts said that, in reality, the proposal would likely lead users to other means, like crime, to fund their addiction. Cutting cash off could even worsen health outcomes by limiting access to basic needs like food or housing, they said.
When he first heard Tuesday’s proposal, he was supportive, he said. “But then, you start thinking about it — it’s harsh,” he said. “The only consequence is creating more crime.”Several medical experts said the compulsory proposal ran counter to best practices in harm reduction and public health fields.
In reality, cutting people off cash may actually worsen people’s health by depriving them of basic needs, like food or housing, experts said. “The big question for the mayor is: Do we have the resources to provide treatment to everybody who … will accept?” said Coffman, adding that there are also shortages of withdrawal medications.
“The extension of drug testing for everybody, seems to be a little beyond,” Smith said, saying he would like to see programs targeted to those cycling in and out of emergency rooms, or “frequent flyers,” instead. Board President Aaron Peskin swiftly denounced Breed’s proposal on Tuesday. He questioned how the mayor could means-test thousands of welfare recipients if she could not even act against hundreds of drug dealers.
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