SF supervisors push the city to spend $5.5 million on safe drug consumption sites

Eight San Francisco supervisors launched laws on Tuesday, calling on the town to commit $5.5 million to open supervised drug consumption websites.

Why it issues: San Francisco is within the midst of a lethal drug overdose epidemic, largely pushed by the opioid fentanyl. Whereas unintended overdose deaths had been 11% decrease in 2021 than 2020, the 625 overdoses final yr represented 41% greater than pre-pandemic ranges, per the town’s Division of Public Well being.

• Secure consumption websites have been confirmed to save lots of lives, offering educated employees to manage medication to reverse overdoses and providing sterile drug consumption provides.

Particulars: The proposed laws requires a supplemental funds to fund the “near-term” opening of wellness hubs, per a press launch.

Driving the information: Nonprofit The Gubbio Mission was set to open a “wellness hub,” together with secure consumption web site, within the Mission this month.

• These plans, nevertheless, fell by way of this month on account of “authorized points associated to metropolis assets” that have to be addressed first, a spokesperson for Mayor London Breed informed the San Francisco Chronicle.

Of observe: Secure consumption websites are unlawful at each the state and federal degree.

• California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a invoice in August that may have legalized the websites in San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles. The transfer was on account of considerations in regards to the operations of such locations with out “sturdy” and “engaged” management and planning.
• In the meantime, the town final week shut down the Tenderloin Middle, a short lived web site the place secure consumption came about that reversed greater than 300 overdoses in its 11 months of operation.

What they’re saying: Supervisor Dean Preston known as the closure “merciless and reckless” in a press launch, including the Board of Supervisors “might want to ramp up stress” to see secure consumption websites within the metropolis. “Any additional delays will put extra lives in peril,” he stated.

The opposite facet: Breed helps the websites, a spokesperson for her workplace informed Axios in a press release.

• However, however, however: The workplace says it is ready to take additional motion till the U.S. Division of Justice supplies authorized steerage, including, “funding will not be the problem round these websites. It is the authorized boundaries.”
• In the meantime, opponents of secure consumption websites have argued the services normalize substance abuse.

Between the traces: SF Metropolis Lawyer David Chiu backs San Francisco following New York Metropolis’s lead, he stated in a press release to Axios.

• A nonprofit in Manhattan has operated two secure consumption websites on personal property, with out metropolis employees or direct metropolis funding since final November, and “the Division of Justice has not taken motion,” to shut them, per Chiu.

What to observe: The complete Board of Supervisors will take into account the proposed laws in early January.