Justice Department Considering Safe Drug Consumption Sites As 'Guardrails' For Opioid Crisis

The opioid crisis in the U.S. has reached unprecedented, and shocking, numbers – 100,000 overdose deaths over the last 12 months – causing federal health officials to consider alternative approaches to deal with the disastrous health crisis. To that end, the Justice Department signaled it might consider safe drug consumption sites, reported The Associated Press. 

The news comes around one year after winning an important court battle against the opening of safe injection sites. Now, the Justice Department told AP that it is “evaluating” such sites and looking at “appropriate guardrails.”

Drastic Change From Trump Administration 

This is a notable shift in stance from the Trump administration when prosecutors fought, and won, the battle against allowing such facilities in Philadelphia. In 2021, a federal court ruled that the City of Brotherly Love  could not open the sites, using a 1980s-era drug law that forbids operating places where illegal substances are consumed. In October, the Supreme Court declined to take the case. 

Some six weeks later, New York City became the first in the nation to open two overdose prevention centers (OPC) where people can use addictive drugs and receive medical care and services. Located at existing facilities that provide needle exchange services, OPCs are “a safe and effective way to address the opioid crisis,” said former NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio at the time.

These sites already exist in Canada and Europe and are often considered a helpful tool in saving thousands of lives of people who would otherwise have accidentally overdosed. Opponents claim the facilities encourage drug use and burden neighborhoods. 

Since President Joe Biden entered the Oval Office a year ago, the Justice Department, under the leadership of Attorney General Merrick Garland, had declined to take an official stance on these facilities. Now, officials finally confirm they are considering them. 

 “Although we cannot comment on pending litigation, the Department is evaluating supervised consumption sites, including discussions with state and local regulators about appropriate guardrails for such sites, as part of an overall approach to harm reduction and public safety,” the agency said in a statement to AP.

New York's Positive Experience 

So far, New York City has helped prevent more than 125 overdoses in more than 640 users, revealed OnPoint NYC, the organization in charge of the facilities. Executive director Sam Rivera said he is relieved by the latest statement from the Justice Department and would like to show the agency more about the work and achievements of the program. 

 “I believe they’re going to land in the right place here and we’ll be able to, together, really expand on this health initiative that’s saving lives every day,” Rivera said.

Over the last several months, other federal officials showed interest in reviewing the potential of safe injection sites. In December 2021, about a six weeks after Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra revealed the Biden administration’s strategy to deal with the epidemic could include allowing supervised consumption sites, White House drug czar Rahul Gupta, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, told CNN it is critical to consider “any and every option” to address the crisis. And that could include allowing safe injection sites for illicit substances, only if evidence backs their efficacy.

Photo: Courtesy of Adam Nieścioruk on Unsplash