Feds To Fund Safe Consumption Sites As Part Of Drug Harm Reduction Campaign

Over the last two decades, drug overdoses in the United States have soared, with deaths increasing over four times in the period between 1999 and 2017, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Adults aged 25 to 54 have the highest rates of opioid overdose deaths.

Moreover, the CDC confirmed an estimated 100,306 drug overdose deaths during the 12 months ending in April 2021, representing an increase of 28.5% from the same period the year before.

In an attempt to tackle the growing issue, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) filed a pair of requests for applications (RFAs) on Wednesday to provide funding to research the efficacy of a variety of harm reduction policies, including decriminalization and safe consumption sites, Marijuana Moment reported.

The federal health agency is seeking to set up a Harm Reduction Network to "increase our understanding of the effectiveness, implementation, and impact of existing and new harm reduction practices to address the ongoing opioid crisis and substance use disorder more broadly."

As part of the network, a newly established coordination center would provide provide "logistical and coordination support, data harmonization and data sharing supports," as well as "research and clinical practice resources."

The application for projects that involve the following are being given the green light:

• Developing and testing new harm reduction strategies.
• Examining how to implement new and existing harm reduction strategies effectively.
• Expanding the settings and delivery models through which harm reduction strategies are deployed.
• Looking at the impact of new harm reduction policies implemented at state and local levels.

A total of nine selected applicants will run studies as part of the five-year program that will approve up to $6.75 million for the projects in the next fiscal year.

The goal of harm reduction services is the prevention and reduction of substance use-related unfortunate outcomes, including fatal and non-fatal overdose, as well as infectious disease transmission.

"Examples of established harm reduction approaches include naloxone, fentanyl test strips (FTS), safer smoking equipment, and sterile syringes, as well as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C virus testing," the notice states.

In addition to NIH's notices, other component agencies such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) say that the harm reduction policies "include decriminalization of various drugs, police and prosecutor-driven deflection and diversion efforts, and the authorization of safe consumption sites."

Safe Consumption Sites To Address Drug Overdose Crisis

In the meantime, last month, New York City became the first in the nation to open two overdose prevention centers (OPC) where people can use illicit drugs and receive medical care and services.

Located at existing facilities that provide syringe exchange services, OPCs are "a safe and effective way to address the opioid crisis," said New York's outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio, who will leave the office on Jan.1.

In October, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra laid out the Biden administration's strategy to deal with the epidemic, which could include allowing supervised consumption sites.

Shortly after, White House drug czar Rahul Gupta told CNN it is critical to consider "any and every option" to address the crisis, confirming that it could include allowing safe injection sites for illicit substances only if evidence backs their efficacy.

Photo: Courtesy of Piyapong Sayduang from Pexels